Otolaryngologic Side Effects After COVID-19 Vaccination

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Vaccinology
• Public Health

Background:

• Widespread COVID-19 vaccination has prompted concerns about potential adverse events (AEs).
• Otolaryngologic (ear, nose, and throat) side effects are among the AEs that warrant investigation.
• Understanding the frequency and significance of these AEs is crucial for public health and vaccine confidence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the frequency of otolaryngologic adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination.
• To compare the incidence of these AEs with those reported for other vaccines.
• To identify specific otolaryngologic AEs that are clinically significant post-vaccination.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of the national Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) database.
• Data collected from December 2020 to May 2021, encompassing Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Janssen COVID-19 vaccines.
• Otolaryngologic complaints were categorized, and reporting odds ratios (ROR) and proportional reporting ratios (PRR) were calculated for clinically significant AEs.

Main Results:

• Out of 1,280,950 total reported AEs, 62,660 (4.9%) were otolaryngologic.
• Significant signal ratios were observed for dysgeusia, ageusia, anosmia, rhinorrhea, throat tightness, throat irritation, dysphagia, tinnitus, and vertigo.
• Facial paralysis, Bell's palsy, anaphylaxis, sinusitis, hearing disability, and ear pain did not meet significance thresholds.

Conclusions:

• While several otolaryngologic symptoms were reported after COVID-19 vaccination, few reached clinical significance.
• Specific symptoms like taste/smell disturbances, throat irritation, tinnitus, and vertigo showed significant reporting ratios.
• The study provides valuable data on the safety profile of COVID-19 vaccines concerning otolaryngologic adverse events.