Cerebral Venous Thrombosis after BNT162b2 mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine

J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2021 Aug;30(8):105906. doi: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2021.105906. Epub 2021 May 25.

Abstract

The development of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines has raised several concerns regarding venous thromboembolism, namely cerebral venous thrombosis. Although cerebral venous thrombosis has been reported after administration of a viral vector vaccine, due to a possible auto-immune mechanism inducing thrombocytopenia, the same has not happened in mRNA vaccines. We report two cases of cerebral venous thrombosis, shortly after administration of mRNA vaccine. In both patients, there was no evidence of thrombocytopenia or antiplatelet antibodies, and alternative causes for cerebral venous thrombosis were found. As such, despite the temporal relation of both cases to vaccine administration, these types of cerebral venous thrombosis do not seem to be pathophysiological different from cerebral venous thrombosis not associated to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Continuous pharmacovigilance is necessary to monitor possible new events and clarify this association.

Keywords: COVID-19; Cerebral Venous Thrombosis; SARS-CoV-2; Thromboembolism.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use
  • BNT162 Vaccine
  • COVID-19 / immunology
  • COVID-19 / prevention & control*
  • COVID-19 / virology
  • COVID-19 Vaccines / administration & dosage
  • COVID-19 Vaccines / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial / chemically induced*
  • Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial / diagnostic imaging
  • Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial / drug therapy
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vaccination / adverse effects*

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • BNT162 Vaccine