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Vestibular neuronitis after COVID-19 vaccination
Solange Bramer1, Yvette Jaffe1, Aravinth Sivagnanaratnam2
1Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
BMJ Case Reports
|June 6, 2022
Summary
A rare case of vestibular neuronitis occurred in a woman shortly after her first Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine dose. She fully recovered with standard treatment, highlighting the need for awareness of potential neurological side effects.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Vaccinology
Background:
- The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is widely administered.
- Neurological adverse events following vaccination are rare but documented.
- Vestibular neuronitis is an inner ear disorder causing vertigo.
Observation:
- A woman in her 50s developed acute vertigo and vomiting within 72 hours of receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
- The primary neurological finding was an impaired vestibulo-ocular reflex with horizontal nystagmus.
- The patient was diagnosed with vestibular neuronitis.
Findings:
- The patient experienced a full recovery after 6 weeks of symptomatic management and vestibular rehabilitation.
- A temporal association was noted between COVID-19 vaccination and the onset of vestibular neuronitis.
- The second vaccine dose was administered without complications.
Implications:
- Healthcare professionals should be aware of potential neurological side effects of COVID-19 vaccines, including vestibular neuronitis.
- Timely diagnosis and management, consistent with non-vaccine-associated cases, are crucial.
- Further investigation is needed to clarify the relationship between COVID-19 vaccination and vestibular neuronitis.
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