Medium-vessel Vasculitis Presenting with Myalgia Following COVID-19 Moderna Vaccination

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Vaccinology
• Rheumatology

Background:

• The global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, including mRNA vaccines (BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273), has been crucial in disease prevention.
• While generally safe with minor side effects, severe adverse drug reactions, such as autoimmune responses, have been documented.
• Systemic vasculitis, predominantly small-vessel type, has been reported post-vaccination, but medium-vessel involvement is less common.

Observation:

• A case report details a patient experiencing medium-vessel vasculitis following administration of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
• The initial clinical presentation was characterized by myalgia (muscle pain).

Findings:

• This report describes a rare instance of medium-vessel vasculitis linked to COVID-19 vaccination.
• Myalgia served as the primary symptom, potentially masking the underlying vasculitic condition.

Implications:

• This case underscores the importance of considering vasculitis, including medium-vessel types, in patients presenting with unexplained myalgia post-vaccination.
• Further investigation into the association between COVID-19 vaccines and medium-vessel vasculitis is warranted.
• Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for rare adverse events following vaccination.