Background: There is scarce evidence on the rate of adverse events and the consequences on disease activity after vaccination against covid19

Objectives: To evaluate adverse events to vaccination and disease flares after vaccination in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), peripheral spondyloarthritis (pSpA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and to evaluate factors associated with adverse event.

Methods: Cross-sectional, observational, descriptive study. Consecutive patients with diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) according to ASAS 2009 criteria; pSpA according to ASAS 2011 criteria and PsA according to CASPAR criteria were included. Demographic data, disease clinimetry, treatments, vaccination received and post-vaccination adverse events were recorded. We evaluated, according to medical criteria, whether the patient presented a flare disease after vaccination and whether it was mild, moderate or severe. We also evaluated the factors associated with the presence of at least one mild adverse event. Statistical analysis: descriptive statistics were performed, qualitative variables were expressed as frequency and percentage (%), numerical variables as mean and standard deviation (SD) or median and percentile25-75. Binary logistic regression was performed using the presence of at least one mild adverse event to vaccination as the dependent variable.

Results: 210 patients were included with a mean age of 45 (SD 15) years. The diagnoses were: AS 50 (23.8%), nr-axSpA 10 (4.8), pSpA 9 (4.3%), PsA 141 (67%) and time of disease evolution in months 109 (SD 96). Regarding comorbidities, the following frequencies were reported: arterial hypertension 60 (30%), diabetes mellitus 25 (12%), heart failure 4 (2%), asthma/EPOC 15 (7%), inflammatory bowel disease 2 (1%), acute anterior uveitis 20 (9.5%), psoriasis 128 (61%). Sixteen percent (n=33) of the patients had SARS-CoV-2 infection prior to vaccination. Regarding treatments, those used were: antiTNF 88 (42%), Tofacitinib 6 (2.9%), Ustekinumab 2 (1%), Secukinumab 35 (17%), Ixekizumab 2 (1%), methotrexate 98 (47%), leflunomide 7 (3. 3), sulfasalazine 7 (3.3), apremilast 1 (0.5%), continuous NSAIDs 26 (12.4%) and NSAIDs on demand 103 (49%). Vaccines received were: Sputnik V 109 (51.9%), Oxford Vaccine, AstraZeneca 63 (30%), Janssen 1 (0.5%), BioNTech Vaccine, Pfizer 1 (0.5%), Sinopharm 33 (15.7%), Moderna 0%, Novavax 0% and others; 3 (1.4%). Thirty-eight percent (n=80) of patients reported having mild post-vaccination symptoms, of which 3.75% did not resolve, 41% resolved with medication and 39% resolved ad integrum without medication. The presence of mild adverse event to the vaccine was associated with lower use of methotrexate (31% vs 56 %, p<0.001), and lower age (54 (SD 14) vs 47 (SD 12), p<0.001), and lower BMI (25 (24-30.5) vs 28 (25-31), p<0.001); while no association was found with sex, diagnosis, comorbidities, treatments, desease activity or vaccines. In the logistic regression analysis all the variables remained independently associated with a lower probability of presenting a mild adverse event: methotrexate: OR: 0.30, 95%CI 0.15-0.58, p<0.001, age: OR: 0.97, 95%CI 0.95-0.99, p: 0.03, BMI: OR: 0.92, 95%CI 0.95-0.99, p: 0.02. Sixty-one percent (n=129) of patients received the 2nd dose of vaccination, which 27% (n=35) presented mild adverse event and only 1 (0.8%) patient suffered post vaccination disease flare.

Conclusion: Vaccination against COVID19 appears to be safe in this population, with only mild adverse events and low frequency of flare disease. Mild adverse events were associated with less use of methotrexate, younger age and lower BMI.

Disclosure of Interests: None declared