Skip to main content
Log in

Clinical and MRI assessment of disease activity in patients with multiple sclerosis after influenza vaccination

  • Original Communication
  • Published:
Journal of Neurology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We investigated the possible effects of influenza vaccinationon disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS). Six patients were evaluated clinically during the year preceding and the year following influenza vaccination. Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (Gd-MRI) was performed one day before and at days 15 and 45 after vaccination. Cumulatively, we did not observe increases in clinical or MRI disease activity following vaccination, with the exception of one case. This was the patient with the highest clinical disease activity during the year preceding vaccination. These results support and supplement previous observations, indicating that influenza vaccination is a safe procedure in multiple sclerosis. Nevertheless, it should be used with caution in patients with active/progressing disease.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bamford CR, Sibley WA, Laguna JF (1978) Swine influenza vaccination in patients with multiple sclerosis. Arch Neurol 35:242–243

    Google Scholar 

  2. Kurtzke JF (1983) Rating neurologic impairment in multiple sclerosis: an expanded disability status scale (EDSS). Neurology 33:1442–52

    Google Scholar 

  3. Michielsens B, Wilms G, Marchal G, et al. (1990) Serial magnetic resonance imaging studies with paramagnetic contrast medium: assessment of disease activity in patients with multiple sclerosis before an after influenza vaccination. Eur Neurol 30:258–259

    Google Scholar 

  4. Miller C, Cendrowski W, Shapira K (1967) Multiple sclerosis and vaccination. BMJ 2:210–213

    Google Scholar 

  5. Poser C (1982) Neurological complications of swine influenza vaccination. Acta Neurol Scand 66:413–431

    Google Scholar 

  6. Poser C (1992) Multiple sclerosis, observations and reflections — a personal memoir. J Neurol Sci 107:127–140

    Google Scholar 

  7. Poser C, Paty DW, Scheimberg, et al (1983) New diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis: guidelines for research protocols. Ann Neurol 13:227–231

    Google Scholar 

  8. Rabin J (1973) Hazard of influenza vaccine in neurologic patients. JAMA 225:63–64

    Google Scholar 

  9. Riikonen R (1989) The role of infection and vaccination in the genesis of optic neuritis and multiple sclerosis in children. Acta Neurol Scand 80:425–431

    Google Scholar 

  10. Sibley WA, Bamford CR, Laguna JF (1976) Influenza vaccination in patients with multiple sclerosis. JAMA 236:1965–1966

    Google Scholar 

  11. Sibley WA, Bamford CR, Clark K (1985) Clinical viral infections and multiple sclerosis. Lancet I:1313–1315

    Google Scholar 

  12. Sibley WA (1986): Risks factors in multiple sclerosis — implications for pathogenesis. In: Serlupi Crescenzi G (ed) A multidisciplinary approach to myelin diseases. NATO-ASI series. Plenum Press, New York London, pp 227–232

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Salvetti, M., Pisani, A., Bastianello, S. et al. Clinical and MRI assessment of disease activity in patients with multiple sclerosis after influenza vaccination. J Neurol 242, 143–146 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00936886

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00936886

Key words

Navigation