SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-related cutaneous manifestations: a systematic review

Abstract

To date, over 250 million people have been reportedly infected by COVID-19 disease, which has spread across the globe and led to approximately 5.1 million fatalities. To prevent both COVID-19 and viral transmission, DNA-based/RNA-based vaccines, non-replicating viral vector vaccines, and inactivated vaccines have been recently developed. However, a precise clinical and histological characterization of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-related dermatological manifestations is still lacking. A systematic review of 229 articles was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, in order to provide an extensive overview of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-related skin manifestations. Data on demographics, number of reported cases with cutaneous involvement, vaccine, and rash type (morphology) were extracted from articles and summarized. A total of 5941 SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-related dermatological manifestations were gathered. Local injection-site reactions were the most frequently observed, followed by rash/unspecified cutaneous eruption, urticarial rashes, angioedema, herpes zoster, morbilliform/maculopapular/erythematous macular eruption, pityriasis rosea and pityriasis rosea-like eruptions, and other less common dermatological manifestations. Flares of pre-existing dermatological conditions were also reported. Cutaneous adverse reactions following SARS-CoV-2 vaccine administration seem to be heterogeneous, rather infrequent, and not life-threatening. Vaccinated patients should be monitored for skin manifestations, and dermatological evaluation should be offered, when needed.