Exacerbation of Subacute Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Following Vaccination with BNT162b2 mRNA Vaccine

    June 2021 in “ Dermatologic Therapy ”
    Dennis Niebel, Veronika Ralser‐Isselstein, Kristel Jaschke, Christine Braegelmann, Thomas Bieber, Joerg Wenzel
    TLDR COVID-19 vaccines can trigger autoimmune flares but are still beneficial for patients with autoimmune conditions.
    A 73-year-old female with subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) experienced an exacerbation of her condition 10 days after receiving the first dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, presenting with erythematous patches and fatigue. Despite initial treatment with prednisolone 10 mg being ineffective, a subsequent pulse therapy with 60 mg prednisolone and topical mometasone furoate ointment led to improvement. She tolerated the second dose without adverse reactions, likely due to the preceding pulse therapy. The case highlighted the potential for vaccines to trigger flares in autoimmune conditions but emphasized the overall benefit of COVID-19 vaccination for SCLE patients. Further studies were recommended to assess the risk of mRNA vaccines in individuals with preexisting autoimmune diseases.
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