A 12-month follow-up study of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus after immunization against SARS-CoV-2

Objective To identify all post-BNT162b2 vaccination (BioNTech and Pfizer) events during the ensuing 12 months in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) from the Immuno-Rheumatology Department at Cayetano Heredia Hospital’s cohort, Lima, Perú. Methods A 12-month follow-up study was conducted from the first dose of immunization with the BNT162b2 vaccine, which was given between May and June 2021, to SLE patients from this cohort. Results The initial population was constituted by 100 patients (100 patients received the 1st dose, 90 the 2nd dose, and 85 the 3rd dose of this vaccine); 33 patients presented a SLE reactivation (flare), 9% (9/100) post 1st dose, 26.6% (24/90) post 2nd dose, and 16.4% (14/85) post 3rd dose. The most common types of flare were articular (26) and renal (14) with 5/33 (15.1%) requiring hospitalization for flare management. A negative association with flare occurrence was found between the use of hydroxychloroquine RR 0.43 (0.21–0.85) and the opposite was the case for azathioprine RR 2.70 (1.39–5.25). During follow-up, 26 patients developed SARS-CoV-2 infection of whom three required hospitalization, one of whom died. Conclusions 33 of 100 SLE patients immunized with BNT162b2 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, presented SLE flares (47 episodes in total); 5 of these patients required in-hospital management and all fully recovered; 26 patients had SARS-CoV-2 infection; three required hospitalization, one died.