Amyloid β-related angiitis of the central nervous system occurring after COVID-19 vaccination: A case report

BACKGROUND: Although coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines have been effective in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, a variety of post-vaccination neurological complications have been reported worldwide. Amyloid β-related angiitis (ABRA) is a rare neurological disease. The underlying cause of ABRA is unknown, but several studies suggest that it is caused by an excessive immune response to amyloid-β deposited in blood vessels. In addition, limited attention has been paid to potential triggers of ABRA, such as infection or vaccination. CASE SUMMARY: We report a case of ABRA that developed 2 wk after COVID-19 vaccination. A 75-year-old woman developed a frontal headache after receiving a second dose of COVID-19 BNT162b2 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech). Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) of the head showed abnormal hyperintensity, suggesting cerebral infarctions in the left parietal and occipital lobes. We diagnosed her condition as ABRA based on a brain biopsy. We administered steroid pulse therapy and the patient’s symptoms and DW-MRI abnormalities improved. This case had a good outcome due to prompt diagnosis and treatment. CONCLUSION: We report a case of ABRA that may have been triggered by COVID-19 vaccination.