Extensive limb swelling after immunization: reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.

Publication/Presentation Date

8-1-2003

Abstract

Extensive limb swelling (ELS) has been reported after vaccination with a limited number of vaccine types. We sought to describe vaccine types involved in and the clinical characteristics of ELS cases reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). A case of ELS was defined as any report of edema extending at least to the elbow or knee of a vaccinated extremity. Four hundred ninety-seven cases were identified, with some describing swelling from the shoulder to the hand or the hip to the foot. Patient age ranged from 0.1 to 91 years. The proportion of reports of ELS associated with a given vaccine, among all VAERS reports received for that vaccine, varied substantially among vaccines. Most reactions began within 1 day after vaccination and involved other signs of inflammation. Postvaccination ELS can involve both the proximal and distal segments of the extremity, affects all age groups, and occurs after vaccination with a broad range of vaccines.

Volume

37

Issue

3

First Page

351

Last Page

358

ISSN

1537-6591

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences | Psychiatry

PubMedID

12884159

Department(s)

Department of Psychiatry

Document Type

Article

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