Article Text
Abstract
Background Vaccines are widely credited for their role in reducing the incidence and the severity of various infections. The aim of the COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccine In Lupus (CIVIL) study was to compare the perception and safety profile between COVID-19 vaccine and influenza vaccine in Korean patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study based on a 34-question web-based survey on COVID-19 and influenza vaccination in 207 confirmed SLE patients. Patients were recruited from 12 academic hospitals affiliated with Korean society of SLE research (KSSR) from DEC 2022 to JAN 2023. The primary outcome was the perception of patients and physicians on the vaccines, and the occurrence of side effects including flare.
Results 94.1% of two hundred respondents were females aged in 20’s (19.8%), 30’s (24.3%), 40’s (27.7%), 50’s (16.8%), and 52% was treated more than 10 years. More than 50% of patients were in stable condition for recent 6 months (below 20mm in 100mm visual analogue scale with lower than 10mg prednisolone equivalent dose). COVID-19 vaccine and influenza vaccine were completed in 77.7% and 87.6% of SLE patients, respectively. Reasons for willing not vaccinated included fear of lupus flare (56.3% vs 24.5%), worried about side effects (52.1% vs 26.6%), and not recommended from physicians (35.4% vs 7.4%) on COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, respectively. Adverse events (AEs) occurred much higher in COVID-19 vaccine (65.8%) than influenza vaccine (12.4%). However, only 4.4% of patients experiencing AEs from COVID-19 vaccine required hospitalization. Most common AEs were pain/redness on injection site, myalgia and/or arthralgia, fatigue, febrile sense. 10.3% of patients taking COVID-19 vaccine experienced lupus flare (arthralgia, skin rash, hair loss, and deterioration of proteinuria/laboratory parameter), which lead to medication change or hospitalization.
Conclusions COVID-19 vaccine has a worse perception and higher adverse events compared to influenza vaccine in Korean SLE patients.
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