New Study Finds Organ Recipients Rejecting Transplant After Receiving COVID Jabs
by: Dr. Mary Gillis, D.Ed.
From WISHTV.COM Posted: Sep 13, 2022 / 04:01 PM EST / Updated: Sep 13, 2022 / 09:10 PM EST
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Some transplant recipients are rejecting their new organ and scientists say the coronavirus vaccine may be to blame.
According to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, acute corneal allografts are being rejected by immunized patients who’ve undergone the procedure. Researchers say the underlying cause could be tied to a systemic inflammatory response elicited by the shot post-jab.
The cornea is the outermost layer of a person’s eye. Corneal grafts are used to restore a damaged cornea. The surgery is known to be one of the most successful organ transplant procedures with low rejection rates. It restores vision, reduces eye pain and improves the appearance of the diseased cornea.
Japanese researchers compiled data from 23 studies. A total of 23 eyes from 21 patients who had undergone corneal graft procedures were assessed. Graft rejection occurred anywhere from one day to six weeks after vaccination in all patients–some who underwent the procedure as far back as twenty years ago.
“As the virus continues to spread, additional booster COVID-19 vaccines are expected,” study authors wrote in the paper. “Therefore, proper follow-up of corneal allograft recipients and interventions to prevent corneal allograft rejection after they received the COVID-19 may be crucial.”
Among the list of emerging complications linked to the vaccine are blood clots, heart inflammation and Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Source :
Study :
“Characteristics and Clinical Ocular Manifestations in Patients with Acute Corneal Graft Rejection after Receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine: A Systematic Review “
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the characteristics and clinical ocular manifestations of acute corneal graft rejection after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. We conducted an online search of the PubMed and EMBASE databases. Data on recipients’ characteristics, corneal transplantation types, interval between vaccination and allograft rejection, clinical manifestations, and graft rejection medication were extracted. Thirteen articles on 21 patients (23 eyes) with acute corneal graft rejection after COVID-19 vaccination, published between April and December 2021, were included. The median (interquartile range) age at the onset of rejection was 68 (27–83) years. Types of transplantation included penetrating keratoplasty (12 eyes), Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (six eyes), Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (four eyes), and living-related conjunctival-limbal allograft (one eye). The interval between vaccination and rejection ranged from 1 day to 6 weeks. Corneal edema was the leading clinical manifestation (20 eyes), followed by keratic precipitates (14 eyes) and conjunctival or ciliary injection (14 eyes). Medications included frequently applied topical corticosteroids (12 eyes), followed by a combination of topical and oral corticosteroids (four eyes). In addition, the clinical characteristics of corneal allograft rejection after COVID-19 vaccination were identified.
