Vaccine tolerance in steroid substituted patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia

The tolerance and side effects of vaccinations were determined in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) who receive physiological corticosteroid substitution. In a retrospective approach, questionnaires about the frequencies of vaccinations and observed side effects were sent to CAH patients, and medical records were reviewed. We received 82 questionnaires from 63 patients with CAH and salt-losing and 19 patients without salt-losing. Patients age ranged from 2-40 years. No statistical differences were found for vaccination frequencies between patients with or without salt-losing. CAH patients had received complete vaccinations against diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis in 79%, 85% and 78%, respectively, whereas pertussis vaccination was complete in only 23%. Live vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella was performed in 63%, 50% and 38%. Side effects of vaccination were indicated in 5 out of 82 questionnaires who all belonged to CAH patients with salt-losing. Transient side effects were an anaphylactic reaction, probably to tetanus immunoglobulin, in 1 case, and fever and convulsions after diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (DPT) vaccine in 2 cases. In 2 further patients putative complications were noted. Encephalitis with permanent disabilities was observed after the third DPT vaccination, but a causative relation could not be established. In another boy, encephalopathy noticed after measles vaccination was induced by previous toxicosis. Although encephalopathy was described in 2 patients after vaccinations, no vaccination damage could be proven in our retrospective study. As expected, an increased vaccination risk in CAH patients was not demonstrated.