Abstracts

Rationale: The safety and tolerability of the various types of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines have been a cause of distress among people with epilepsy (PWE).  In order to assess these concerns, we partnered with the Epilepsy Foundation of Kentuckiana (EFKY) and designed a survey for PWE._x000D_ We aimed at assessing tolerance and impact on seizures in PWE of the various vaccines against COVID-19. We also sought to identify the barriers to vaccination and hesitancy among unvaccinated PWE.

Methods: An online anonymous 24-item survey was designed and distributed by the EFKY_x000D_ via an online link and a quick response (QR) code. This survey included questions pertaining to patient’s demographics, seizure status, type of vaccination and status, as well as side effects experienced. In addition, we investigated barriers and hesitancy to vaccination. The survey is currently ongoing.

Results: Thirty-six adult PWE completed the survey thus far, and among them 33 were vaccinated. In terms of side effects, 57.5% (n=19) of participants reported common vaccination side effects like headache, malaise, fatigue, fever, and body aches. One of the vaccinated participants have reported seizure occurrence in the first 24 to 72 hours post vaccination without worsening of their baseline seizure frequency. The 3 unvaccinated participants reported a lack of interest in vaccination. One of the unvaccinated individuals reported a prior COVID infection as a reason for not getting vaccinated. We are anticipating additional participants to complete the survey before final data analysis._x000D_  
Conclusions: Our preliminary data suggest that vaccination against COVID-19 in PWE in Kentucky appears to be overall well tolerated without evidence of seizure exacerbation. The majority of the surveyed PWE were vaccinated. The survey is currently still ongoing._x000D_  
Funding: None