Publication related to RSI or an RSI staff member
Risk of Myocarditis and Pericarditis among Young Adults following mRNA COVID-19 Vaccinations.
There have been reports of cases of myocarditis and pericarditis as rare complications following mRNA COVID-19 vaccinations among young adults. While most reported cases are mild, this potential vaccine safety signal should be closely monitored. Using data from the CDC and the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), we calculated the combined reporting rate of myocarditis and pericarditis stratified by age group, sex, vaccine dose, and manufacturer, and compared these rates to the crude background incidence rates. Compared to the general population prior to the administration of the first COVID-19 vaccines in December 2020, we identified a higher-than-expected reporting rate of myocarditis and pericarditis following mRNA vaccination; the risk was higher after a second vaccine dose, higher in males than in females, and decreased with age. The highest risk was seen in males 12-17 years of age with approximately 6 cases per 100,000 second doses. Our findings suggest an increased risk of myocarditis and pericarditis in young males following a second dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Since these findings are based on safety signals derived from passive surveillance data, confirmatory epidemiological studies should be undertaken.
Authors
- Alami, Abdallah, Alami A, School of Mathematics and Statistics, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada.
- Krewski, Daniel, Krewski D, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada.; Risk Sciences International, Ottawa, ON K1P 5J6, Canada.
- Mattison, Donald, Mattison D, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada.; Risk Sciences International, Ottawa, ON K1P 5J6, Canada.; Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
- Wilson, Kumanan, Wilson K, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1R 6M1, Canada.; Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1R 6M1, Canada.; Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1R 6M1, Canada.
- Gravel, Christopher A, Gravel CA, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada.; Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada.
- Villeneuve, Paul J, Villeneuve PJ, School of Mathematics and Statistics and Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Science Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada.
- Farrell, Patrick J, Farrell PJ, School of Mathematics and Statistics, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada.
- Crispo, James A G, Crispo JAG, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.; Division of Human Sciences, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada.
- Perez-Lloret, Santiago, Perez-Lloret S, Data Science Research Laboratory, Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina, Buenos Aires C1107AFD, Argentina.; Departamento de FisiologÃa, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires C1121ABG, Argentina.
There have been reports of cases of myocarditis and pericarditis as rare complications following mRNA COVID-19 vaccinations among young adults. While most reported cases are mild, this potential vaccine safety signal should be closely monitored. Using data from the CDC and the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), we calculated the combined reporting rate of myocarditis and pericarditis stratified by age group, sex, vaccine dose, and manufacturer, and compared these rates to the crude background incidence rates. Compared to the general population prior to the administration of the first COVID-19 vaccines in December 2020, we identified a higher-than-expected reporting rate of myocarditis and pericarditis following mRNA vaccination; the risk was higher after a second vaccine dose, higher in males than in females, and decreased with age. The highest risk was seen in males 12-17 years of age with approximately 6 cases per 100,000 second doses. Our findings suggest an increased risk of myocarditis and pericarditis in young males following a second dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Since these findings are based on safety signals derived from passive surveillance data, confirmatory epidemiological studies should be undertaken.
