Two Cases of Autoimmune Thyroid Disorders after COVID Vaccination in Dialysis Patients

Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Sep 29;23(19):11492. doi: 10.3390/ijms231911492.

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination have been associated with autoimmune thyroid dysfunctions. Autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA) and molecular mimicry have been referred to as potential causes. Such a case has not been reported in immunocompromised end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Herein we present two dialysis patients with no previous history of thyroid disease who developed immune mediated thyroid disorders after BNT162b mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. The first patient is a 29-year-old man on hemodialysis diagnosed with Grave's disease four months post-vaccination and the second one is a 67-year-old female on peritoneal dialysis who developed Hashimoto's thyroiditis two months post-vaccination. Grave's disease is uncommon in dialysis patients, whereas Hashimoto's thyroiditis has a higher incidence in this population. Time proximity in both cases suggests potential causality. To our knowledge, this is the first report of de novo immune-mediated thyroid disorders in dialysis patients following vaccination against SARS-CoV-2.

Keywords: BNT162b2; ESRD; Grave’s disease; Hashimoto’s disease; SARS-CoV-2; hemodialysis; peritoneal dialysis; vaccination.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • COVID-19 Vaccines* / adverse effects
  • COVID-19* / prevention & control
  • Female
  • Graves Disease* / chemically induced
  • Hashimoto Disease* / chemically induced
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Renal Dialysis / adverse effects
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Vaccination / adverse effects
  • Vaccines, Synthetic
  • mRNA Vaccines

Substances

  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • mRNA Vaccines
  • Vaccines, Synthetic

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.