Recipients of the Covid vaccine are reporting a rare but growing phenomenon of adverse symptoms, ranging from unusual blood clotting and heart inflammation to a more ambiguous set of Long Covid-like symptoms, which some have dubbed “Long Vax”.
Although initially elusive and its connection to vaccination uncertain, there is growing acceptance of this phenomenon in the medical and scientific community.
In a recent report for Science, researchers admitted that there is a growing number of patients complaining of “Long Vax” ailments.
Harvard Medical School neurologist Anne Louise Oaklander told the publication, “You might wonder about one or two cases and chalk it up to coincidence. But when you’ve seen dozens, it raises suspicion.”
Two medical conditions, small fiber neuropathy and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), appear to share characteristics with this post-vaccination syndrome.
Although regulatory bodies in the US and Europe have yet to find a definitive link between the COVID-19 vaccines and small fiber neuropathy, or POTS, Peter Marks, director of the administration’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research of the US Food and Drug Administration, maintains that it is prudent to be open to the possibility of rare cases. Marks also emphasizes the need to avoid sensationalizing these possibilities and states that the benefits of vaccines far outweigh any potential risks, while not specifying that risk profiles differ profoundly for patients based on age, obesity and natural immunity.
Despite these ambiguities, German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach admitted in March that Long Covid-like symptoms after vaccination, although rare, are a real occurrence. He noted that his ministry planned to fund research studies to investigate further.
The research indicates that these post-vaccination symptoms could be the result of an exaggerated immune reaction to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which the COVID-19 vaccines use to stimulate protective antibodies. Some theorize that rogue antibodies could bind to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, disrupting its signaling and possibly causing the accelerated heart rate and blood pressure changes seen in POTS.
Some people seem to be susceptible to complications both post-infection and post-vaccination. Treatment approaches for POTS and small fiber neuropathy after vaccination range from increasing salt and fluid intake and slowing heart rate with beta-blockers to more invasive procedures such as intravenous immunoglobulin or even plasma exchange.
Harvard Medical School Professor Adam W. Gaffney reported on Long Covid symptoms in May 2022 and found that reported symptoms were primarily psychological in nature and showed weak correlation with neurological, pulmonary, musculoskeletal, biomarkers. cardiac and lymphatic.
“On the other hand, numerous biomarkers showed no difference between post-Covid and controls, including tests for:
(1) general inflammation (eg, CRP)
(2) autoimmunity (eg ANA)
(3) coagulation abnormality (eg, d-dimer)
(4) heart inflammation (eg, troponin)
(5) Renal function
(6) Liver function
(7) Blood levels
(8) Brain injury (neurofilament light chains)
“Then they report the pulmonary function tests,” Gaffney continues. “Again, no differences, not surprising since post-COVID patients mostly did not have severe lung-damaging pneumonia.”
A large population study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine in 2022 found that the increase in myocarditis cases cannot be attributed to “long Covid”. Thus, Long Covid is not suspected to be the underlying cause of the increased cases of heart disease and is not strongly linked to the main body system biomarkers that are commonly used to diagnose pathologies.
Although much remains to be understood about Long Vax, scientists say they are eager to deepen their research, better understand the condition and find effective treatments.
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