Comment on vaccine associated benign headache and cutaneous hemorrhage after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine

Abstract

Dear Editor, we would like to share ideas on the publication “Vaccine associated benign headache and cutaneous hemorrhage after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine: A cohort study 1 Schultz NH Søraas AVL Sørvoll IH Akkök ÇA Vetlesen A Bhamra JS Ahlen MT Holme PA Aamodt AH Skagen K Skattør TH Skjelland M Wiedmann MK. Vaccine associated benign headache and cutaneous hemorrhage after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine: a cohort study. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2022 Nov 17; 32106860 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (0) Google Scholar .” If these symptoms are a minor form of VITT, with a possibility for worsening, such as in the case of a second vaccination dose, or a new entity of vaccine consequences, Schultz et al. explored this 1 Schultz NH Søraas AVL Sørvoll IH Akkök ÇA Vetlesen A Bhamra JS Ahlen MT Holme PA Aamodt AH Skagen K Skattør TH Skjelland M Wiedmann MK. Vaccine associated benign headache and cutaneous hemorrhage after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine: a cohort study. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2022 Nov 17; 32106860 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (0) Google Scholar . The combination of headaches and subcutaneous hemorrhage, according to Schultz et al., did not indicate VITT, and no other distinct coagulation problem or cerebral pathology was discovered. In addition to platelet counts and D-dimer, Schultz et al. noted that symptoms that initially resemble VITT call for caution and a low threshold for a clinical evaluation 1 Schultz NH Søraas AVL Sørvoll IH Akkök ÇA Vetlesen A Bhamra JS Ahlen MT Holme PA Aamodt AH Skagen K Skattør TH Skjelland M Wiedmann MK. Vaccine associated benign headache and cutaneous hemorrhage after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine: a cohort study. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2022 Nov 17; 32106860 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (0) Google Scholar . Response to Letter to the EditorJournal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular DiseasesPreviewWe thank the authors for their interest in our article and the thoughtful comments. As they correctly point out, the association between the first vaccination with ChAdOx1 nCov -19 vaccine and the described symptoms in our article does not prove any causality. However, cutaneous hemorrhages and headaches were frequently reported side effects after vaccination with ChAdOx1 nCov-19 in the Norwegian corona study cohort in young and previously healthy subjects. In lack of previous experience, there was a fear that these symptoms may have represented a mild form of VITT. Full-Text PDF