RESUMEN
Background: The safety of the new vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 have already been shown, although data on patients with polyneuropathy are still lacking. The aim of this study is to evaluate the adherence to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, as well as the reactogenicity to those vaccines in patients affected by neuropathy. Methods: A multicentric and web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among patients affected by neuropathy from part of South Italy. Results: Out of 285 responders, n = 268 were included in the final analysis and n = 258 of them (96.3%) were fully vaccinated. Adherence to vaccination was higher in patients with hereditary neuropathies compared to others, while it was lower in patients with anti-MAG neuropathy (all p < 0.05). The overall prevalence of adverse events (AEs) was 61.2% and its occurrence was not associated with neuropathy type. Being female and of younger age were factors associated with higher risk of AEs, while having an inflammatory neuropathy and steroids assumption were associated with a lower risk (all p < 0.05). Younger age, having had an AE, and COVID-19 before vaccination were factors associated with symptoms worsening after vaccination (all p < 0.05). (4) Conclusions: Patients with neuropathy showed a high level of adherence to COVID-19 vaccination. Safety of vaccines in patients with neuropathies was comparable to the general population and it was more favorable in those with inflammatory neuropathy.
RESUMEN
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease in which activated lymphocytes affect the central nervous system. Increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS), impairment of mitochondria-mediated apoptosis and mitochondrial alterations have been reported in peripheral lymphocytes of MS patients. Mitochondria-mediated apoptosis is regulated by several mechanisms and proteins. Among others, optic atrophy 1 (OPA1) protein plays a key role in the regulating mitochondrial dynamics, cristae architecture and release of pro-apoptotic factors. Very interesting, mutations in OPA1 gene, have been associated with multiple sclerosis-like disorder. We have analyzed OPA1 and some factors involved in its regulation. Fifteen patients with MS and fifteen healthy control subjects (HC) were enrolled into the study and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated. H2O2 level was measured spectrofluorimetrically, OPA1, PHB2, SIRT3, and OMA1 were analyzed by western blotting. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t-test. The results showed that PBMC of MS patients were characterized by a deregulation of OPA1 processing associated with increased H2O2 production, inactivation of OMA1 and increase of PHB2 protein level. The presented data suggest that the alteration of PHB2, OMA1, and OPA1 processing could be involved in resistance towards apoptosis. These molecular parameters could also be useful to assess disease activity.