No Increase in Non-Infectious Uveitis Risk in COVID-19 Vaccinated People

In a recent study published in Ophthalmology Journal indicated no increased risk of Non-Infectious Uveitis (NIU) following COVID-19 vaccination in individuals without a history of the disease. Anika Kumar and team conducted a matched cohort analysis and a self-controlled case series (SCCS) to investigate the potential association between COVID-19 vaccination and the risk of NIU.

The study utilized de-identified administrative claims and electronic health record (EHR) data from the Optum Labs Data Warehouse, aimed to provide valuable insights into the safety of COVID-19 vaccinations concerning ocular health. The study included 4,611,378 patients, with 2,305,689 individuals in each cohort for the matched cohort analysis. The COVID-19 vaccinated group was matched with a historical cohort of COVID-unvaccinated patients enrolled in 2018 and 2019. In the SCCS design, 686 patients from the vaccinated cohort, who experienced a NIU event during the study period, were included. 

Using advanced statistical methods, the researchers calculated hazard ratios for NIU in the matched cohort analysis and incidence rate ratios (IRR) in the SCCS design. The models were adjusted for several factors, including age, recent receipt of non-COVID-19 vaccinations, corticosteroid or immunosuppressive use, and smoking history. Additionally, subgroup analyses were conducted based on vaccination type and age group.

The results of the study provided reassurance about the overall safety of COVID-19 vaccination. The adjusted hazard ratio comparing NIU incidence in the COVID-19 vaccinated cohort to the unvaccinated cohort was 0.91 (95% CI: 0.75-1.10, p=0.33), indicating no significant difference in NIU risk between the two groups. In the SCCS analysis, the IRR comparing post-vaccine risk of NIU to risk during the control intervals was 1.05 (95% CI: 0.89-1.23, p=0.57), further supporting the lack of increased risk.

However, a notable finding emerged from the subgroup analysis. Within the age group of 5-44 years, a slightly elevated risk of NIU was observed (IRR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.04-1.87, p=0.024). This discovery warrants further investigation to understand potential heightened immune responses in younger individuals following COVID-19 vaccination. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the safety of COVID-19 vaccines and their potential impact on ocular health.

Reference:

Kumar, A., Miller, D. C., Sun, Y., Arnold, B. F., & Acharya, N. R. (2023). Risk of non-infectious uveitis following COVID-19 vaccination in a US claims database. In Ophthalmology. Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2023.07.017