Case Report: Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis after COVID-19 vaccination

Abstract

Since its occurrence, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been responsible for a substantial rate of morbidity and mortality. The quick development of an effective and safe vaccine was essential in order to control the ongoing pandemic. However, given the severity of the situation, mass-scale vaccination had to be undertaken without much hindsight. Subsequently, side effects of the anti-COVID-19 vaccine, such as autoimmune diseases, have been reported. Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis (CryoVas) is a rare auto-immune disease, caused by the presence in the serum of abnormal immunoglobulins (cryoglobulins) able to precipitate at temperatures below 37°C. CryoVas can be either essential or, more frequently, secondary to other diseases such as infections, malignancies and auto-immune diseases. In some cases, CryoVas can be vaccine-induced. We describe an original case of a 57-year-old woman with no medical history who presented with purpura of the lower limbs that appeared 5 days after receiving her first COVID-19 vaccine. Skin biopsy and immunological work out were consistent with CryoVas.