OBJECTIVE:

To assess whether quadrivalent human papillomavirus (qHPV) vaccination is associated with increased incidence of new-onset autoimmune disease in girls and women with pre-existing autoimmune disease.

METHODS:

This register-based open cohort study included all girls and women between 10 and 30 years of age in Sweden in 2006-2012 diagnosed with at least one of 49 prespecified autoimmune diseases (n = 70 265). Incidence rate ratios were estimated for new-onset autoimmune disease within 180 days of qHPV vaccination using Poisson regression adjusting for, country of birth, parental country of birth, parental income and parental education.

RESULTS:

A total of 70 265 girls and women had at least one of the 49 predefined autoimmune diseases; 16% of these individuals received at least one dose of qHPV vaccine. In unvaccinated girls and women, 5428 new-onset autoimmune diseases were observed during 245 807 person-years at a rate of 22.1 (95% CI 21.5-22.7) new events per 1000 person-years. In vaccinated girls and women, there were 124 new events during 7848 person-years at a rate of 15.8 (95% CI 13.2-18.8) per 1000 person-years. There was no increase in the incidence of new-onset autoimmune disease associated with qHPV vaccination during the risk period; on the contrary, we found a slightly reduced risk (incidence rate ratio 0.77, 95% CI 0.65-0.93).

CONCLUSION:

In this nationwide study, qHPV vaccination was not associated with increased incidence of new-onset autoimmune disease in girls and women with pre-existing autoimmune disease.

© 2016 The Association for the Publication of the Journal of Internal Medicine.