Age: 46.0
Sex: F
Vaccine: COVID19, COVID19
Symptoms: Acoustic stimulation tests abnormal, Deafness bilateral, Deafness neurosensory, Hearing disability, Immunosuppression
Clinical narrative: sensory neuro bilateral hearing loss worse on one side; tinnitus; This is a spontaneous report from a contactable physician (patient). A 46-years-old female patient started to receive the first dose of BNT162B2 (PFIZER-BIONTECH COVID-19 VACCINE, lot number: EL1284), intramuscular into right arm on 05Jan2021 at 0.3 mL, single for covid-19 immunization. Time the vaccination was reported as 10:00-10:30. Medical history included food and environmental allergies. The patient had a history of autoimmune antibodies to thyroid but with normal thyroid numbers. No medication was needed, but autoimmune antibodies was found in the past. She had a propensity for autoimmune disease, it was just not active. She was diagnosed the first time she found auto antibodies 12 years before 19Jan2021 (2009) and checks her thyroid yearly and they had been normal. She still had antibodies, but thyroid hormone levels are normal without intervention. The patient's concomitant medications included Vitamin C and Vitamin D. Historical vaccine included Pneumovax 30 days before getting the COVID vaccine (06Dec2020, 46-years-old). Her pneumonia titers were low. Historical vaccine also included flu shot, she felt sick but like everyone else, she did not consider that abnormal. She thought most people felt kind of down and it did not have long term effects. It did not require any doctor visits. She did not have a rash or anaphylaxis. The patient was a physician and well versed in terms of symptoms. By evening of 05Jan2021, she developed tinnitus, which she had never had and has been there ever since. She was on day 13 post vaccine and still having bilaterally, every day and it never went away. She had a physician visit on 12Jan2021 and hearing test performed that day. They did find sensory neuro bilateral hearing loss worse on one side, her test confirmed bilateral hearing loss at 11:00 on 12Jan2021. It was mild so far in the high frequency ranges. So, they gave option to start 14 day course of high dose steroids with steroid injections into the ear, because in some cases of acute hearing loss, it can curb or reduce it. She decided to do that. Now she was going to be on steroids. She would be temporarily immunosuppressed. She did not know if that will affect the vaccine. She had not decided if she will get second shot. It is due next week, but she was a little nervous. She was considering delaying the booster a couple months out to see if more information develops. She provided her weight as between 175 to 180lb. Right now, the hearing loss was mild and it won't be that bad, but normally, it was permanent, which would be disabling hearing loss. She was going 20Jan2021, for the steroid injection in the ear canal. That would be the first injection. She was taking oral steroids now. They would see if this limits the progression. The events outcome was not recovered.; Sender's Comments: The possible causality between the reported tinnitus/sensory neuro bilateral hearing loss and the administration of COVID-19 vaccine, BNT162B2, cannot be fully denied based on the reasonable temporal association.   The impact of this report on the benefit/risk profile of the Pfizer product is evaluated as part of Pfizer procedures for safety evaluation, including the review and analysis of aggregate data for adverse events. Any safety concern identified as part of this review, as well as any appropriate action in response, will be promptly notified to RA, IEC, as appropriate.