FOUR Brits have developed a life threatening condition days after having the AstraZeneca coronavirus jab, doctors have revealed.
The cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome developed more than ten days after the patients received the jab and were all after the first dose – but doctors say it's unlikely the jabs triggered the condition.
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Guillain-Barré Syndrome is a potentially life-threatening condition in which the body's immune system breaks down.
Side effects can occur with all medications and coronavirus vaccines are no different.
Most people who have a coronavirus vaccine won't have any side effects but some people have reported pain at the site of injection, fatigue and aching after having their jab.
Aside from the four rare cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome detected in the UK, seven cases of the syndrome were also reported in Kerala, India.
Three of the four cases detected in the UK had underlying health conditions, and none of the patients were known to have previously been diagnosed with Covid-19.
The patients in the UK were found in Nottingham where around 700,000 people received the vaccine.
The paper based on data from Nottingham has not yet been peer reviewed and was published in the journal Annals of Neurology, alongside the paper detailing the cases in India.
Symptoms of Guillain-Barré syndrome
Guillain-Barré (pronounced ghee-yan bar-ray) syndrome is a very rare and serious condition that affects the nerves.
Most people do make a full recovery but it can be fatal and it can leave people with long-term problems.
Symptoms start in your feet and hands, before spreading to your arms and legs.
It occurs when the immune system attacks healthy nerve cells. In about two-thirds of cases, it follows a viral or bacterial infection.
The most common infection linked to the syndrome is the bacteria Campylobacter jejuni.
It infects the gastrointestinal tract and commonly causes diarrhoea.
Other initial signs include:
- numbness
- pins and needles
- muscle weakness
- pain
- problems with balance and coordination
You can die from Guillain-Barré syndrome if it causes blood clots or severe breathing difficulties. One in 20 cases is fatal.
Experts in both the UK and India said that having a jab outweighs the risk of not having the jab and catching Covid-19.
Dr Christopher Allen, of Nottingham University, explained: "If the link is causal it could be due to a cross-reactive immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and components of the peripheral immune system."
Dr Allen said symptoms began 11 to 22 days after the first vaccine and that the patients were aged between 20 and 57.
One had no relevant medical history. The three others others had ulcerative colitis, asthma and high blood pressure.
The patients were treated with antibodies and steroid pills.
VACCINES ARE SAFE
Dr Allen and colleagues said they cannot be certain the jab caused the neurological illness and that they could have happened by chance.
The team added that this development proves why jab surveillance and reporting is needed, so that patients can get the help and support they need after having any vaccine.
He added: "SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are very safe."
The second paper was penned by Dr Boby Varkey Maramattom who said that it was "unlikely" that the vaccine had triggered the syndrome.
In the cases in India, four involved women aged 40 to 70 years – three needed mechanical ventilation.
Nerve damage around the face and head occurred in four patients – which happens in less than five percent of Guillain-Barré cases.
Dr Maramattom also championed the vaccine and said the "benefits of vaccination also substantially outweigh the risk of this relatively rare outcome".
Aside from the cases in Nottingham and India, there have been six reports of Guillain-Barré syndrome in Australia following the AstraZeneca jab.
The condition causes muscle weakness, numbness and tingling. It can be fatal if it involves the respiratory muscles.
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