While COVID-19 vaccines did not cause any side effects for the majority of people, some people experience ‘post-vaccination syndrome’ (PVS), a condition in which people have chronic symptoms that may last for months or even years.

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A team of researchers from Yale School of Medicine identified “potential immunological patterns” in people with PVS. The findings may help pave the way for future treatments, the New York Post reported.

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“This work is still in its early stages, and we need to validate these findings,” said co-senior study author Akiko Iwasaki in a press release. He is a Sterling Professor of Immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine.

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“But this is giving us some hope that there may be something that we can use for diagnosis and treatment of PVS down the road.”

According to the researchers, people with this condition suffer from extreme fatigue, exercise intolerance, brain fog, insomnia, and dizziness. The symptoms develop within a day or two of vaccination and can get worse over time.

“It’s clear that some individuals are experiencing significant challenges after vaccination. Our responsibility as scientists and clinicians is to listen to their experiences, rigorously investigate the underlying causes, and seek ways to help,” said co-senior author Harlan Krumholz, professor of cardiology at YSM.

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The researchers studied the blood samples of 42 participants who were experiencing PVS symptoms and 22 who were not.

Findings of study

The study revealed that people with PVS symptoms had lower levels of two types of white blood cells, while people with PVS who never had COVID also had lesser antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, likely due to fewer vaccine doses.

“Fewer vaccine doses and no viral infection means the body’s immune system has had little opportunity to develop a defence to the virus,” the researchers said.

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Some people with PVS also showed high levels of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which allows the virus to infect host cells. This has often been linked with an increased risk of developing long COVID.

“We don’t know if the level of spike protein is causing the chronic symptoms, because there were other participants with PVS who didn’t have any measurable spike protein—but it could be one mechanism underlying this syndrome,” said Iwasaki.

Apart from elevated spike proteins, other factors, including autoimmunity, tissue damage, and reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), may also increase the risk of PVS.

Future research

The study highlights that a very small percentage of people who received COVID-19 vaccines and experienced prolonged side effects have a persistent spike protein and may also experience immune disruption.

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“We’re only just starting to make headway in understanding PVS,” said Krumholz. “Every medical intervention carries some risk, and it’s important to acknowledge that adverse events can occur with vaccines.”

“Our focus must remain on understanding what these people are experiencing through rigorous science and addressing the needs of those affected with compassion and an open mind.”

The researchers agreed that the matter needs to be further studied to understand how common this condition is and how to predict and treat it.

(With inputs from agencies)