COVID-19 vaccines and autoimmune disorders: A scoping review

Two years into the global vaccination campaign, important questions about COVID-19 vaccines and autoimmune disorders have arisen. A growing number of reports have documented associations between vaccination and autoimmunity, and research is needed to elucidate the nature of these linkages as well as the mechanisms and causal directions (i.e., whether persons with no history of autoimmune disorders may experience them upon vaccination or persons with autoimmune disorders may experience exacerbation or new adverse events, autoimmune or not, post-vaccination). This scoping review will follow Arksey and O'Malley's framework, which is enhanced by Levac et al.'s team-based approach, to address the relationship between COVID-19 vaccinations and autoimmune disorders. Moreover, it will explore the evidence informing the consensus of care concerning COVID-19 vaccinations in people experiencing these disorders. Data from refereed articles and preprints will be synthesized through a thematic analysis. A subgroup analysis will compare the findings according to the previous existence of autoimmune disorders, presence of co-morbidities, vaccine type, and other potentially relevant factors. COVID-19 has triggered the largest vaccination campaign in history. Drug safety is critical to properly assess the balance of risks and benefits of any medical intervention. Our investigation should yield information useful to assist in clinical decision-making, policy development, and ethical medical practices.