A Case of Generalized Edema in a Patient after COVID-19 Vaccination Improved by a Combined Korean-Western Medicine Approach

Abstract

Background: According to Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System data, generalized edema followed by the COVID-19 vaccine is uncommon, with only 333 reported cases, and of those, 224 (69%) are associated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.Case report: A 76-year-old male patient with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction presented with spontaneous generalized edema and otherwise normal cardiac exams following administration of BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) COVID-19 vaccination that had lasted for approximately 60 days and was treated successfully using Korean medicine treatment. After the administration of Korean medicine treatment, the patient’s symptoms in the bilateral limbs were dramatically controlled, without recurrence, for 2 months. As a result, generalized edema, which had been present for approximately 50 days, dramatically improved.Conclusion: This clinical case study suggests that a Korean medicine approach with <i>Mokbangki-tang</i> and <i>Oryeong-san</i> might be effective for the pleural effusion resolution of generalized edema after COVID-19 vaccination.