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Krumholz HM, Wu Y, Sawano M, Shah R, Zhou T, Arun AS, Khosla P, Kaleem S, Vashist A, Bhattacharjee B, Ding Q, Lu Y, Caraballo C, Warner F, Huang C, Herrin J, Putrino D, Hertz D, Dressen B, Iwasaki A. Post-Vaccination Syndrome: A Descriptive Analysis of Reported Symptoms and Patient Experiences After Covid-19 Immunization. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.11.09.23298266. [PMID: 37986769 PMCID: PMC10659483 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.09.23298266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Introduction A chronic post-vaccination syndrome (PVS) after covid-19 vaccination has been reported but has yet to be well characterized. Methods We included 241 individuals aged 18 and older who self-reported PVS after covid-19 vaccination and who joined the online Yale Listen to Immune, Symptom and Treatment Experiences Now (LISTEN) Study from May 2022 to July 2023. We summarized their demographics, health status, symptoms, treatments tried, and overall experience. Results The median age of participants was 46 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 38 to 56), with 192 (80%) identifying as female, 209 (87%) as non-Hispanic White, and 211 (88%) from the United States. Among these participants with PVS, 127 (55%) had received the BNT162b2 [Pfizer-BioNTech] vaccine, and 86 (37%) received the mRNA-1273 [Moderna] vaccine. The median time from the day of index vaccination to symptom onset was three days (IQR: 1 day to 8 days). The time from vaccination to symptom survey completion was 595 days (IQR: 417 to 661 days). The median Euro-QoL visual analogue scale score was 50 (IQR: 39 to 70). The five most common symptoms were exercise intolerance (71%), excessive fatigue (69%), numbness (63%), brain fog (63%), and neuropathy (63%). In the week before survey completion, participants reported feeling unease (93%), fearfulness (82%), and overwhelmed by worries (81%), as well as feelings of helplessness (80%), anxiety (76%), depression (76%), hopelessness (72%), and worthlessness (49%) at least once. Participants reported a median of 20 (IQR: 13 to 30) interventions to treat their condition. Conclusions In this study, individuals who reported PVS after covid-19 vaccination had low health status, high symptom burden, and high psychosocial stress despite trying many treatments. There is a need for continued investigation to understand and treat this condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harlan M. Krumholz
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut
- Center for Infection and Immunity, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Yilun Wu
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Mitsuaki Sawano
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Rishi Shah
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Yale College, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Tianna Zhou
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | | | | | - Shayaan Kaleem
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anushree Vashist
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut
- The College at the University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Bornali Bhattacharjee
- Center for Infection and Immunity, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Qinglan Ding
- College of Health and Human Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Yuan Lu
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - César Caraballo
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Frederick Warner
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Chenxi Huang
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Jeph Herrin
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - David Putrino
- Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | | | | | - Akiko Iwasaki
- Center for Infection and Immunity, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland
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Woo EJ, Gee J, Marquez P, Baggs J, Abara WE, McNeil MM, Dimova RB, Su JR. Post-authorization safety surveillance of Ad.26.COV2.S vaccine: Reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System and v-safe, February 2021-February 2022. Vaccine 2023; 41:4422-4430. [PMID: 37321898 PMCID: PMC10264169 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND On 2/27/2021, FDA authorized Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine (Ad.26.COV2.S) for use in individuals 18 years of age and older. Vaccine safety was monitored using the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a national passive surveillance system, and v-safe, a smartphone-based surveillance system. METHODS VAERS and v-safe data from 2/27/2021 to 2/28/2022 were analyzed. Descriptive analyses included sex, age, race/ethnicity, seriousness, AEs of special interest (AESIs), and cause of death. For prespecified AESIs, reporting rates were calculated using the total number of doses of Ad26.COV2.S administered. For myopericarditis, observed-to-expected (O/E) analysis was performed based on the number verified cases, vaccine administration data, and published background rates. Proportions of v-safe participants reporting local and systemic reactions, as well as health impacts, were calculated. RESULTS During the analytic period, 17,018,042 doses of Ad26.COV2.S were administered in the United States, and VAERS received 67,995 reports of AEs after Ad26.COV2.S vaccination. Most AEs (59,750; 87.9 %) were non-serious and were similar to those observed during clinical trials. Serious AEs included COVID-19 disease, coagulopathy (including thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome; TTS), myocardial infarction, Bell's Palsy, and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Among AESIs, reporting rates per million doses of Ad26.COV2.S administered ranged from 0.06 for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children to 263.43 for COVID-19 disease. O/E analysis revealed elevated reporting rate ratios (RRs) for myopericarditis; among adults ages 18-64 years, the RR was 3.19 (95 % CI 2.00, 4.83) within 7 days and 1.79 (95 % CI 1.26, 2.46) within 21 days of vaccination. Of 416,384 Ad26.COV2.S recipients enrolled into v-safe, 60.9 % reported local symptoms (e.g. injection site pain) and 75.9 % reported systemic symptoms (e.g., fatigue, headache). One-third of participants (141,334; 33.9 %) reported a health impact, but only 1.4 % sought medical care. CONCLUSION Our review confirmed previously established safety risks for TTS and GBS and identified a potential safety concern for myocarditis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Jane Woo
- Office of Biostatistics and Pharmacovigilance, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20903, United States.
| | - Julianne Gee
- Immunization Safety Office, Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1825 Century Center Blvd, Atlanta, GA 303239, United States
| | - Paige Marquez
- Immunization Safety Office, Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1825 Century Center Blvd, Atlanta, GA 303239, United States
| | - James Baggs
- Epidemiology Research and Innovations Branch, Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States
| | - Winston E Abara
- Immunization Safety Office, Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1825 Century Center Blvd, Atlanta, GA 303239, United States
| | - Michael M McNeil
- Immunization Safety Office, Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1825 Century Center Blvd, Atlanta, GA 303239, United States
| | - Rositsa B Dimova
- Office of Biostatistics and Pharmacovigilance, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20903, United States
| | - John R Su
- Immunization Safety Office, Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1825 Century Center Blvd, Atlanta, GA 303239, United States
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Day B, Menschik D, Thompson D, Jankosky C, Su J, Moro P, Zinderman C, Welsh K, Dimova RB, Nair N. Reporting rates for VAERS death reports following COVID-19 vaccination, December 14, 2020-November 17, 2021. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2023; 32:763-772. [PMID: 36813704 DOI: 10.1002/pds.5605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Despite widely available safety information for the COVID-19 vaccines, vaccine hesitancy remains a challenge. In some cases, vaccine hesitancy may be related to concerns about the number of reports of death to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). We aimed to provide information and context about reports of death to VAERS following COVID-19 vaccination. METHODS This is a descriptive study evaluating reporting rates for VAERS death reports for COVID-19 vaccine recipients in the United States between December 14, 2020, and November 17, 2021. Reporting rates were calculated as death events per million persons vaccinated and compared to expected all-cause (background) death rates. RESULTS 9201 death events were reported for COVID-19 vaccine recipients aged 5 years and older (or age unknown). Reporting rates for death events increased with increasing age, and males generally had higher reporting rates than females. For death events within 7 days and 42 days of vaccination, respectively, observed reporting rates were lower than the expected all-cause death rates. Reporting rates for Ad26.COV2.S vaccine were generally higher than for mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, but still lower than the expected all-cause death rates. Limitations of VAERS data include potential reporting bias, missing or inaccurate information, lack of a control group, and reported diagnoses, including deaths, are not causally verified diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS Reporting rates for death events were lower than the all-cause death rates expected in the general population. Trends in reporting rates reflected known trends in background death rates. These findings do not suggest an association between vaccination and overall increased mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan Day
- Office of Biostatistics and Pharmacovigilance, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - David Menschik
- Office of Biostatistics and Pharmacovigilance, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Deborah Thompson
- Office of Biostatistics and Pharmacovigilance, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Christopher Jankosky
- Office of Biostatistics and Pharmacovigilance, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - John Su
- Immunization Safety Office, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Pedro Moro
- Immunization Safety Office, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Craig Zinderman
- Office of Biostatistics and Pharmacovigilance, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Kerry Welsh
- Office of Biostatistics and Pharmacovigilance, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Rositsa B Dimova
- Office of Biostatistics and Pharmacovigilance, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Narayan Nair
- Office of Biostatistics and Pharmacovigilance, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
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Abara WE, Gee J, Marquez P, Woo J, Myers TR, DeSantis A, Baumblatt JAG, Woo EJ, Thompson D, Nair N, Su JR, Shimabukuro TT, Shay DK. Reports of Guillain-Barré Syndrome After COVID-19 Vaccination in the United States. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2253845. [PMID: 36723942 PMCID: PMC9892957 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.53845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Because of historical associations between vaccines and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), the condition was a prespecified adverse event of special interest for COVID-19 vaccine monitoring. OBJECTIVE To evaluate GBS reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) and compare reporting patterns within 21 and 42 days after vaccination with Ad26.COV2.S (Janssen), BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech), and mRNA-1273 (Moderna) COVID-19 vaccines. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This retrospective cohort study was conducted using US VAERS reports submitted during December 2020 to January 2022. GBS case reports verified as meeting the Brighton Collaboration case definition for GBS in US adults after COVID-19 vaccination were included. EXPOSURES Receipt of the Ad26.COV2.S, BNT162b2, or mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Descriptive analyses of GBS case were conducted. GBS reporting rates within 21 and 42 days after Ad26.COV2.S, BNT162b2, or mRNA-1273 vaccination based on doses administered were calculated. Reporting rate ratios (RRRs) after receipt of Ad26.COV2.S vs BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 within 21- and 42-day postvaccination intervals were calculated. Observed-to-expected (OE) ratios were estimated using published GBS background rates. RESULTS Among 487 651 785 COVID-19 vaccine doses, 17 944 515 doses (3.7%) were Ad26.COV2.S, 266 859 784 doses (54.7%) were BNT162b2, and 202 847 486 doses (41.6%) were mRNA-1273. Of 295 verified reports of individuals with GBS identified after COVID-19 vaccination (12 Asian [4.1%], 18 Black [6.1%], and 193 White [65.4%]; 17 Hispanic [5.8%]; 169 males [57.3%]; median [IQR] age, 59.0 [46.0-68.0] years), 275 reports (93.2%) documented hospitalization. There were 209 and 253 reports of GBS that occurred within 21 days and 42 days of vaccination, respectively. Within 21 days of vaccination, GBS reporting rates per 1 000 000 doses were 3.29 for Ad26.COV.2, 0.29 for BNT162b2, and 0.35 for mRNA-1273 administered; within 42 days of vaccination, they were 4.07 for Ad26.COV.2, 0.34 for BNT162b2, and 0.44 for mRNA-1273. GBS was more frequently reported within 21 days after Ad26.COV2.S than after BNT162b2 (RRR = 11.40; 95% CI, 8.11-15.99) or mRNA-1273 (RRR = 9.26; 95% CI, 6.57-13.07) vaccination; similar findings were observed within 42 days after vaccination (BNT162b2: RRR = 12.06; 95% CI, 8.86-16.43; mRNA-1273: RRR = 9.27; 95% CI, 6.80-12.63). OE ratios were 3.79 (95% CI, 2.88-4.88) for 21-day and 2.34 (95% CI, 1.83-2.94) for 42-day intervals after Ad26.COV2.S vaccination and less than 1 (not significant) after BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 vaccination within both postvaccination periods. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This study found disproportionate reporting and imbalances after Ad26.COV2.S vaccination, suggesting that Ad26.COV2.S vaccination was associated with increased risk for GBS. No associations between mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and risk of GBS were observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winston E. Abara
- COVID-19 Response Team, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Julianne Gee
- COVID-19 Response Team, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Paige Marquez
- COVID-19 Response Team, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jared Woo
- COVID-19 Response Team, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Tanya R. Myers
- COVID-19 Response Team, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Allison DeSantis
- COVID-19 Response Team, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jane A. G. Baumblatt
- Office of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Emily Jane Woo
- Office of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Deborah Thompson
- Office of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Narayan Nair
- Office of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - John R. Su
- COVID-19 Response Team, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Tom T. Shimabukuro
- COVID-19 Response Team, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - David K. Shay
- COVID-19 Response Team, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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5
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Müllerová H, Medin J, Arnold M, Gomes da Silva H, Kumar S, Nord M, Hubbard R, de Lusignan S. Background rate estimations for thrombosis with thrombocytopaenia: challenges in evaluating rare safety signals following vaccination in real time during a pandemic. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e063645. [PMID: 36639216 PMCID: PMC9842598 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-063645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES During COVID-19 vaccination programmes, new safety signals have emerged for vaccines, including extremely rare cases of thrombosis with thrombocytopaenia syndrome (TTS). Background event rates before and during the pandemic are essential for contextualisation of such infrequent events. In the literature, most studies do not report an overall TTS event rate. Rather, background rates are mainly reported for subtypes of thrombotic/thromboembolic diagnoses included in the TTS clinical definition mostly by anatomical location, with reported rates for TTS subtypes varying widely. The objective of this study was to report prepandemic TTS background event rates in the general population. METHODS Prepandemic background TTS rates were generated via secondary data analysis using a cohort design in the IBM Truven MarketScan (now Merative MarketScan) US health insurance claims database, from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019. Two algorithms were applied: thrombocytopaenia occurring±7 days (algorithm 1) or occurring 1 day prior to ≤14 days after the thrombotic/thromboembolic event (algorithm 2). RESULTS The study population derived from the MarketScan database analysis included approximately 9.8 million adults (aged ≥18 years; mean age 45 years, 52% females). Using this study population, prepandemic background TTS incidence was estimated as 9.8-11.1 per 100 000 person-years. Event rates were higher in males and increased with age. Similar patterns were observed with both algorithms. CONCLUSIONS This study presents an estimate of aggregate prepandemic background TTS event rates including by type of thrombosis/thromboembolism and age group. The background event rates are dependent on the precision of capturing underlying TTS events in variable data sources, and the ability of electronic health records or insurance claims databases to reflect the TTS clinical definition. Differences between reported event rates demonstrate that estimating background event rates for rare, unprecedented safety events is methodologically challenging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hana Müllerová
- Medical Evidence, BioPharmaceuticals Medical, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jennie Medin
- Medical Evidence, BioPharmaceuticals Medical, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Matthew Arnold
- Real World Evidence Data and Analytics, BioPharmaceuticals Medical, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Hugo Gomes da Silva
- Vaccines and Immune Therapies, BioPharmaceuticals Medical, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Supriya Kumar
- Real World Evidence Data and Analytics, BioPharmaceuticals Medical, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Magnus Nord
- Patient Safety, Chief Medical Office, R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Richard Hubbard
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Simon de Lusignan
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Pillay J, Gaudet L, Wingert A, Bialy L, Mackie AS, Paterson DI, Hartling L. Incidence, risk factors, natural history, and hypothesised mechanisms of myocarditis and pericarditis following covid-19 vaccination: living evidence syntheses and review. BMJ 2022; 378:e069445. [PMID: 35830976 PMCID: PMC9277081 DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2021-069445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To synthesise evidence on incidence rates and risk factors for myocarditis and pericarditis after use of mRNA vaccination against covid-19, clinical presentation, short term and longer term outcomes of cases, and proposed mechanisms. DESIGN Living evidence syntheses and review. DATA SOURCES Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched from 6 October 2020 to 10 January 2022; reference lists and grey literature (to 13 January 2021). One reviewer completed screening and another verified 50% of exclusions, using a machine learning program to prioritise records. A second reviewer verified all exclusions at full text, extracted data, and (for incidence and risk factors) risk of bias assessments using modified Joanna Briggs Institute tools. Team consensus determined certainty of evidence ratings for incidence and risk factors using GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation). ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES Large (>10 000 participants) or population based or multisite observational studies and surveillance data (incidence and risk factors) reporting on confirmed myocarditis or pericarditis after covid-19 mRNA vaccination; case series (n≥5, presentation, short term clinical course and longer term outcomes); opinions, letters, reviews, and primary studies focused on describing or supporting hypothesised mechanisms. RESULTS 46 studies were included (14 on incidence, seven on risk factors, 11 on characteristics and short term course, three on longer term outcomes, and 21 on mechanisms). Incidence of myocarditis after mRNA vaccines was highest in male adolescents and male young adults (age 12-17 years, range 50-139 cases per million (low certainty); 18-29 years, 28-147 per million (moderate certainty)). For girls and boys aged 5-11 years and women aged 18-29 years, incidence of myocarditis after vaccination with BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) could be fewer than 20 cases per million (low certainty). Incidence after a third dose of an mRNA vaccine had very low certainty evidence. For individuals of 18-29 years, incidence of myocarditis is probably higher after vaccination with mRNA-1273 (Moderna) compared with Pfizer (moderate certainty). Among individuals aged 12-17, 18-29, or 18-39 years, incidence of myocarditis or pericarditis after dose two of an mRNA vaccine for covid-19 might be lower when administered ≥31 days compared with ≤30 days after dose one (low certainty). Data specific to men aged 18-29 years indicated that the dosing interval might need to increase to ≥56 days to substantially drop myocarditis or pericarditis incidence. For clinical course and short term outcomes, only one small case series (n=8) was found for 5-11 year olds. In adolescents and adults, most (>90%) myocarditis cases involved men of a median 20-30 years of age and with symptom onset two to four days after a second dose (71-100%). Most people were admitted to hospital (≥84%) for a short duration (two to four days). For pericarditis, data were limited but more variation than myocarditis has been reported in patient age, sex, onset timing, and rate of admission to hospital. Three case series with longer term (3 months; n=38) follow-up suggested persistent echocardiogram abnormalities, as well as ongoing symptoms or a need for drug treatments or restriction from activities in >50% of patients. Sixteen hypothesised mechanisms were described, with little direct supporting or refuting evidence. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that adolescent and young adult men are at the highest risk of myocarditis after mRNA vaccination. Use of a Pfizer vaccine over a Moderna vaccine and waiting for more than 30 days between doses might be preferred for this population. Incidence of myocarditis in children aged 5-11 years is very rare but certainty was low. Data for clinical risk factors were very limited. A clinical course of mRNA related myocarditis appeared to be benign, although longer term follow-up data were limited. Prospective studies with appropriate testing (eg, biopsy and tissue morphology) will enhance understanding of mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Pillay
- Alberta Research Centre for Health Evidence, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Lindsay Gaudet
- Alberta Research Centre for Health Evidence, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Aireen Wingert
- Alberta Research Centre for Health Evidence, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Liza Bialy
- Alberta Research Centre for Health Evidence, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Andrew S Mackie
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - D Ian Paterson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Lisa Hartling
- Alberta Research Centre for Health Evidence, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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