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Case Reports: Adverse drug reactions and complications
Cerebellar and brainstem stroke possibly associated with booster dose of BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) COVID-19 vaccine
  1. Michael George Thomas1,
  2. Andrew Dermawan2 and
  3. Sue Teh1
  1. 1Acute Medical Unit, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
  2. 2Gastroenterology, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
  1. Correspondence to Mr Michael George Thomas; michaelgt{at}y7mail.com

Abstract

As COVID-19 vaccination becomes widely available and administered globally, there have been several reports of side effects attributed to the vaccine. This report highlights a patient who developed stroke 2 days following the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine, although its association remains uncertain. A man in his late 30s developed acute neurological symptoms 2 days after receiving the booster dose of the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. History and neurological examination suggested a posterior circulation stroke, which was confirmed by MRI, as a right-sided posterior inferior cerebellar artery stroke. Full workup did not suggest other causes of the stroke. Due to the patient’s age and well-controlled risk factors, it was presumed to be a rare adverse effect of the vaccine. Medical management with aspirin, statin therapy and rehabilitation led to the improvement of symptoms and enabled ongoing restoration of function. Further cases of stroke following administration of COVID-19 vaccine have been documented in the literature, but the association is yet to be established.

  • COVID-19
  • Vaccination/immunisation
  • Stroke
  • Brain stem / cerebellum
  • Unwanted effects / adverse reactions

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2022-251180

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors The following authors were responsible for drafting of the text, sourcing and editing of clinical images, investigation results, drawing original diagrams and algorithms, and critical revision for important intellectual content: MGT, AD and ST. The following author gave final approval of the manuscript: ST.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Case reports provide a valuable learning resource for the scientific community and can indicate areas of interest for future research. They should not be used in isolation to guide treatment choices or public health policy.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.