Acute and Chronic Demyelinating Neuropathies After COVID-19 Vaccination: A Report of 4 Cases

Abstract

Abstract Objectives: To report demyelinating neuropathies after COVID-19 vaccination. Methods: Case report. Results: Four cases of demyelinating neuropathies after COVID-19 vaccination were identified at the University of Nebraska Medical Center from May to September 2021. Three were male and 1 was a female, ages 26–64 years. Three cases received Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and 1 Johnson & Johnson. Symptom onset ranged from 2 to 21 days after vaccination. Two cases had progressive limb weakness, 3 had facial diplegia, and all had sensory symptoms and areflexia. The diagnosis was acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy in 1 case and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy in 3. All cases received treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin, with significant improvement in 3 of 4 who had a long-term outpatient follow-up. Conclusions: Continued identification and reporting of cases of demyelinating neuropathies after COVID-19 vaccination is essential to determine whether a causative association is present.