SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in inflammatory bowel disease patients is not associated with flares: a retrospective single-centre Swiss study

Abstract

Introduction

Vaccination hesitancy is an important barrier to vaccination among IBD patients. The development of adverse events is the main concern reported. The purpose of this monocentric study was to assess SARS-CoV-2 vaccination safety in IBD patients by evaluating the postvaccination flare risk and incidence of overall adverse events.

Methods

Surveys were handed out on three consecutive months to each patient presenting at the Crohn-Colitis Centre, where they documented their vaccination status and any side effects experienced after vaccination.

Dates of flares occurring in 2021 were recorded from their electronic medical records. Baseline and IBD characteristics and flare incidence were compared between the vaccinated and unvaccinated patients, and among the vaccinated population before and after their vaccination doses. The characteristics of patients who developed side effects and of those who did not were compared.

Results

We enrolled 396 IBD patients, of whom 91% were vaccinated. The proportion of patients who experienced flares was statistically not different between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated population (1.8 vs 2.6 flares per 100 person-months (p = 0.28)). Among vaccinated patients, there was no difference across the prevaccination, 1 month post any vaccination, and more than 1 month after any vaccination periods, and between the Spikevax and Cominarty subgroups. Overall, 46% of patients reported vaccination side effects, mostly mild flu-like symptoms.

Conclusion

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination with mRNA vaccines seems safe, with mostly mild side effects. The IBD flare risk is not increased in the month following any vaccination.

Keywords:

• Flares
• IBD
• SARS-CoV-2 vaccination

Author contributions statement

L. Rossier: conception and design, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting of the paper

N. Décosterd: conception and design, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting of the paper

C. Matter: analysis and interpretation of data, critical review of the paper

D. Staudenmann: analysis and interpretation of data, critical review of the paper

A. Moser: analysis and interpretation of data, critical review of the paper

B. Egger: critical review of the paper

F. Seibold: conception and design, analysis and interpretation of data, critical review of the paper

All authors approved the version to be published and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Funding sources

In preparation of this manuscript, no external funding was received.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are not publicly available because this information that could compromise the privacy of research participants. The data will be shared on reasonable request to the corresponding author.