Increased incidence of Graves' disease during the SARS‐CoV2 pandemic
Authors' conclusion
Our results show a notable increase in the incidence of GD during the year 2021, specially in women with a history of smoking. Hyper activation of the immune system induced by SARS-CoV2 and by the recently released SARS-COV-2 vaccines has been highlighted in recent months. To assess whether this observed increase in the incidence of GD is sustained in the coming years or has simply been a precipitous trigger for individuals who were already predisposed to develop the disease, future studies will be needed.
Study context
- Population
- Adults (over 18 years) with new cases of Graves' disease (GD), no relapsed disease, Castilla y Leóndiagnosed and treated for GD
- Participants
- 180 adults
- Exposure
- GD incidence before vs after Covid-19 pandemic
- Outcome
- Incidence of GD
Methodological detailsobservational
- Observational
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Notable increase in expected GD cases in 2021 vs 2017-19
- Number of GD cases higher in the second quarter (Q2)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
2021 GD cases vaccinated in the 90 days before symptom onset
- Vaccinated within 90 days before onset
- 42/66 (63.6%)
- Vaccinated cases in the first quarter
- 0
- Women
- 97.7%
- Age, mean (SD)
- 48.9 (15.6) years
- Days from vaccine to diagnosis, mean (SD)
- 19.9 (17.6)
- Another previously diagnosed autoimmune disease
- 7/42 (16.67%)
- Smokers
- 11/42 (26.19%)
Original publication
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