Mild disease course of SARS-CoV-2 infections and mild side effects of vaccination in Pompe disease: a cohort description

• Published in: Orphanet journal of rare diseases 2022-03, Vol.17 (1), p.102-102, Article 102
• Main Authors: Ismailova, G, Mackenbach, M J, van den Hout, J M P, van der Ploeg, A T, Brusse, E, Wagenmakers, M A E M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Complications and side effects; COVID-19; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 vaccines; Glycogen Storage Disease Type II; Glycogenosis; Humans; Letter to the Editor; Pandemics; Pompe disease; SARS-CoV-2; Statistics; Vaccination - adverse effects
• ISSN: 1750-1172; 1750-1172
• DOI: 10.1186/s13023-022-02268-y

Patients with Glycogen Storage Disease type II (GSDII), an inheritable metabolic myopathy also known as Pompe disease, are considered to be at risk for severe COVID-19 due to a reduced respiratory function and a tendency to be overweight. However, so far little is known about the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection and side effects of COVID-19 vaccinations in patients with GSDII. 169 Dutch Pompe patients are followed at the Erasmus MC Rotterdam. During the COVID-19 pandemic patients were requested to directly inform their physicians about SARS-CoV-2 infection. Infected patients were interviewed regularly by telephone until their symptoms subsided. Furthermore, all patients eligible for vaccination on 16-7-2021 (≥ 17 years, n = 122) were asked to complete a questionnaire. To date, fifteen patients (8.9% of our cohort) reported a SARS-CoV-2 infection (classic infantile Pompe disease n = 5, late onset n = 10). No patients were admitted to hospital or needed intensivation of ventilatory support. All patients made a recovery within 19 days. 41.8% of patients filled in our questionnaire regarding vaccination, of whom 98% were vaccinated. Besides one case of perimyocarditis, only mild side effects were reported. Overall, patients with Pompe disease showed mild symptoms from infection with SARS-CoV-2. All patients made a full recovery. Side effects after vaccination were mostly mild.