BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: 

• Risk factors and disease progression of Long-COVID or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection are not well understood 
  • It isn’t clear whether vaccination can help prevent or improve symptoms of long-COVID 
• Nehme et al. (Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2022) described the association of vaccination and the evolution of six cardinal symptoms embodying post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2  

METHODS: 

• Survey based study 
• Participants 
  • Individuals who previously tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection (RT-PCR test) at a testing center in Switzerland  
  • Survey was sent between April 23 to July 27, 2021 
• Exposures 
  • Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 
  • Vaccination status 
• Study design 
  • At the time of the study, the public health recommendations in Switzerland were for previously infected individuals to preferably receive one dose of vaccination only 
• Primary outcome 
  • Persistence of symptoms  
    • Fatigue | Difficulty concentrating or memory loss | Loss of or change in smell | Loss of or change in taste | Shortness of breath | Headache 

RESULTS: 

• 2094 participants 
  • Vaccinated, one dose: 26.6% 
  • Vaccinated, two doses: 20.5% 
• Symptom status following vaccination 
  • Symptoms disappeared: 30.8% 
  • Symptoms improved: 35.5% 
  • Symptoms remained stable: 28.7% 
  • Symptoms worsened: 3.3% 
• Vaccination (one or two doses) was associated with a decreased prevalence of the six cardinal post-SARS-CoV-2 symptoms 
  • Adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.72 (95% CI, 0.56 to 0.92) 
• Vaccination with 2 doses was associated with a decreased prevalence of 
  • Dyspnea: aOR 0.34 (95% CI, 0.14 to 0.82) 
  • Change in taste: aOR 0.38 (95% CI, 0.18 to 0.83) 
  • Any one symptom: aOR 0.60 (95% CI, 0.43 to 0.83) 

CONCLUSION: 

• Compared to no vaccination, participants who were vaccinated reported improvement in post-acute SARS-CoV-2 sequelae 
• The authors state 

If confirmed, this would mean that vaccination not only prevents infection but also can potentially improve post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 

Learn More – Primary Sources: 

Symptoms After COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients with Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 

Related ObG Topics:

Long-COVID Features and Related Clinical Factors

COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Effectiveness in the Real World Including in Those Partially Immunized

Are the Presence of Post-Vaccination Symptoms Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness?