Joseph Emran

A novel coronavirus was identified at the end of 2019, causing a pneumonia epidemic in China, which later rapidly spread to cause a global pandemic. However, most people who contracted the COVID-19 had mild to moderate symptoms. A fair percentage developed ARDS, Septic shock, and multi-organ failure. Given the necessity of immunization in combating this disease, COVID-19 vaccines were widely deployed, giving rise to multiple reported cases of post-vaccination autoimmune flareups and new onset of autoimmune phenomena. We present a case of an 81-year-old female who was diagnosed with erosive arthritis post COVID-19 vaccination.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused significant morbidity and mortality in a vast majority of the patient population, especially those with malignancies. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia in adults and is often an indolent disease. High white blood cell counts greater than 120 k/cumm in chronic lymphocytic leukemia may be implicated in cases of COVID-19. Hyperleukocytosis leads to falsely elevated potassium levels due to cell fragility. Pseudohyperkalemia occurs when elevated potassium is present due to potassium movement out of cells during or after a blood sample is drawn. Pseudohyperkalemia may be suspected when elevated potassium is present in asymptomatic patients with no corresponding electrocardiogram findings. The authors present a case of hyperleukocytosis and pseudohyperkalemia in a patient whose COVID-19 infection unmasked CLL.