A Case Report of Reactive Arthritis After COVID-19 AstraZeneca Vaccination

Abstract

In early 2021, multiple vaccinations for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in various immunological formulations were administered successfully to humans worldwide. Although numerous encountered side effects were expected, there were some effects that were unexpected. We report a case of a patient who experienced a rare occurrence of reactive arthritis in the right knee joint that manifested insidiously as pain, heat, and swelling on the second day following vaccination with the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The patient underwent a series of investigations, confirming the suspected diagnosis and ruling out other possible diseases. The case was refractory to oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Thus, the treatment was shifted to intra-articular steroids. Although the treatment plan improved the symptoms of the patient noticeably, it did not resolve them. A rare possible side effect following COVID-19 vaccination is reactive arthritis, which often occurs in young and healthy individuals with no significant comorbidities.

Keywords: astrazeneca vaccine; covid-19 vaccine; reactive arthritis; sars-cov-2 vaccine; side effects.

Figure 1. Anterior right knee plain radiograph

Figure 2. Lateral right knee plain radiograph

Figure 3. Right knee MRI