Multiple cranial nerve palsies following COVID-19 vaccination-Case report.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The novel COVID-19 vaccines have side effects that require efficient and close monitoring.

AIMS OF THE STUDY:

To examine whether the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is associated with multiple cranial neuropathy.

METHODS:

We report the case of a 29-year-old male patient with no notable history who presented with left oculomotor, abducens, trigeminal and facial palsies 6 days after receiving the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

RESULTS:

Gadolinium-enhanced MRI of the brain revealed enhancement in the left facial, trigeminal and oculomotor nerves, which persisted upon repeated examination. The cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed no sign of inflammation, both initially and after 1 month from the start of the patient's symptoms. Other causes were excluded by laboratory tests. The patient received high doses of corticosteroids, with improvement of symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS:

In our case, the most probable etiology of the patient's multiple cranial neuropathy is the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which highlights the need for prolonged surveillance of COVID-19 vaccine neurological complications.

• Authors: Maria Mirabela Manea, Dorin Dragoș, Iulia Enache, Adrian George Sirbu, Sorin Tuta
• Journal: Acta neurologica Scandinavica (Acta Neurol Scand) Vol. 145 Issue 2 Pg. 257-259 (Feb 2022) ISSN: 1600-0404 [Electronic] Denmark
• PMID: 34725821 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2021 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Chemical References

• COVID-19 Vaccines
• BNT162 Vaccine

Topics

• Adult
• BNT162 Vaccine
• COVID-19
• COVID-19 Vaccines
• Cranial Nerve Diseases (chemically induced)
• Humans
• Male
• SARS-CoV-2
• Vaccination