COVID-19 vaccine reactogenicity – A cohort event monitoring study in the Netherlands using patient reported outcomes

OBJECTIVES: To explore factors that are associated with reactogenicity in general and systemic after the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the Netherlands. DESIGN: A web-based prospective cohort design using patient reported outcomes (PROs). SETTING: Any person who has been vaccinated with any brand of COVID-19 vaccine in the Dutch COVID immunization programme. PARTICIPANTS: 22,184 participants. Of these, 13,959 (62.9%) experienced reactogenicity in general and 11,979 (54.0%) systemic reactogenicity within 7 days after vaccination. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Factors that are associated with the occurrence of reactogenicity after COVID-19 vaccination. RESULTS: Compared to the Comirnaty® vaccine, the highest odds ratio (OR) for developing reactogenicity was for the Vaxzevria® vaccine (OR 5.18) followed by Spikevax® (OR 2.16), and Janssen (OR 1.65). Participants with a history of COVID-19 disease had a 3.10 increased odds for reactogenicity. Women had a 2.08 increased odds compared to men. Older participants experienced less reactogenicity. Compared to the age group < 50, the ORs for the age groups 50–60, 61–79, and ≥80 were 0.36, 0.15, and 0.10 respectively. The use of an antipyretic drug, or a drug for nervous system disorders gave an increased odds of 1.34 and 1.16 respectively. A body mass index of 25.0–29.9 and over 30 was negatively associated with reactogenicity (OR 0.87 and OR 0.72 respectively). Comorbidities that were associated with reactogenicity were cardiac disorders (OR 1.26), respiratory disorders (OR 1.31), psychiatric disorders (1.37), reproductive disorders (OR 1.54), and eye disorders (OR 1.55). The factors associated with systemic reactogenicity were mostly comparable, but there were differences for comorbidities, drug use, and the strength of the regression coefficient. CONCLUSIONS: This extensive study with over 22,000 vaccine recipients in the Netherlands demonstrated that, taken into account all factors in the model, the Comirnaty® vaccine gave the least and the Vaxzevria® vaccine the most reactogenicity in general and systemic after the first dose. Also a person with a history of COVID-19 disease, female sex and younger age had an increased odds for experiencing reactogenicity after vaccination.