Abstract

Introduction: Since December 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected millions of people, causing the COVID-19 global pandemic. The use of novel technologies led to the development of different types of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines that have reduced severe disease courses and related deaths. Besides the positive impact of vaccination on the pandemic, local and systemic side effects have been reported; they are usually mild to moderate, although also serious adverse events have been described.

Case Presentation: A 21-year-old female was referred to our hospital for the recent onset of severe polyuria and polydipsia, with the need for about 8 liters of daily water intake. The symptoms developed seven days after the administration of the second dose of the mRNA-based (Pfizer-BioNTech® BNT162b2) SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. In the suspicion of central diabetes insipidus (DI) development, she started treatment with desmopressin (Minirin® tablets) 60 mg/day with an improvement of symptoms and thirst. A thickening of the pituitary stalk was observed at the pituitary MRI with loss of the posterior pituitary bright spot on T1 weighted images. To confirm the diagnosis of central DI, both the water deprivation test and arginine stimulated copeptin test were performed; whilst the former gave no clear-cut indication of DI, the latter showed a reduced copeptin peak after arginine infusion consistent with the diagnosis of partial central DI. Furthermore, the development of symptoms right after the second dose of the vaccine strengthened the hypothesis that DI was related to the vaccination itself. After our evaluation, there was a progressive reduction of desmopressin dose to a complete discontinuation with the maintenance of a normal hydroelectrolytic balance. Clinical and biochemical follow-up was performed by repeating a pituitary MRI and a second arginine-stimulated copeptin test 15 months after the diagnosis. This time, copeptin levels reached a significantly higher peak after arginine stimulation that completely excluded central DI and at pituitary MRI, the thickening of the pituitary stalk previously described was no longer visible.

Conclusion: Neurohypophysitis can have an abrupt onset independently of the etiology. Central DI is a rather exceptional event after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination but should be recalled in case of sudden polyuria and polydipsia. DI is indeed reported even after SARS-CoV-2 infection, thus, this report should not discourage the use of mRNA-based vaccines. Furthermore, our case demonstrates that full recovery of posterior pituitary function is possible after immunization with anti-Covid-19 BNT162b2 vaccine. Further studies are needed to clarify the possible mechanism relating to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and this rare adverse event.