A case report of pericardial effusion as a complication of vaccination against COVID-19 with Sinopharm vaccine

Background: Sinopharm vaccine is in fact an inactivated form of SARS-CoV-2. This vaccine is one of the agents that are frequently utilized worldwide. The most frequent adverse effects of this vaccine have been local irritation, fever, and fatigue. Case presentation: The case is a 34-year-old male without any previous medical conditions who presented with pleuritic chest pain 48 hours after the inoculation of Sinopharm vaccine. In his transthoracic echocardiography, mild anterior pericardial effusion and moderate posterior pericardial effusion was noted. The patient underwent pericardial window insertion and the bloody pericardial effusion fluid was drained which was lymphocyte rich without any signs of malignancy and the pericardial biopsy showed chronic inflammation and foreign body giant cell. The patient’s PCR for COVID-19 came back negative. The serology tests for COVID-19 were negative as well. Conclusion: Pericardial effusion can be seen rarely as a complication of vaccination with Sinopharm vaccine. This complication might have happened due to improper handling of the vaccine. This complication was resolved without any consequence in our patient; therefore, this vaccine is still counted as safe and effective in preventing COVID-19