Minimal Change Disease Following the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine.

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Immunology
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Minimal change disease (MCD) is a common cause of nephrotic syndrome in children and adults.
• Acute kidney injury (AKI) can occur in nephrotic syndrome, often due to volume depletion or intrinsic renal disease.

Observation:

• A 50-year-old man presented with edema and rapidly declining kidney function four days after receiving the first dose of the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine.
• Kidney biopsy confirmed MCD, with nephrotic syndrome and AKI.
• The patient's kidney function improved with high-dose prednisone therapy.

Findings:

• This case describes the first reported instance of MCD, nephrotic syndrome, and AKI following the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccination.
• The temporal association suggests a possible link between the vaccine and the renal pathology.

Implications:

• This case highlights a potential, albeit rare, adverse event following COVID-19 vaccination.
• Further surveillance and case reporting are necessary to determine the true incidence and causality of this potential vaccine side effect.