Corona Virus. Myocarditis after vaccination. New information

myocarditis It is a rare but serious disease that can weaken the heart and disrupt the electrical system responsible for regular contractions.

Usually, as the authors of a new research paper published in the journal Circulation explain, they arise from a viral infection. However, the reasons may also be different.

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In June of this year, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Immunization Practices Advisory Committee reported a possible link between the mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine and myocarditis, especially in people under the age of 39. But follow-up research shows that cases of myocarditis associated with vaccination against the emerging corona virus are rare and usually mild, she says Donald. Mother. Lloyd Jones, president of the American Heart Association, who was not associated with the study described in the publication.

– For the most part, research continues to show the benefits of vaccination against COVID-19 – 91 percent. Effective in preventing severe COVID-19 complications, including hospitalization and death – also outweighs the very low risk of side effects, including myocarditis – He adds.

According to the authors of the new study, post-vaccination cases of the disease mainly affected adolescents and young adults.

The researchers noted that previous studies had already shown a link between the disease and other vaccinations such as smallpox.

While the data currently available on symptoms, disease severity, and short-term effects are limited, we decided to investigate a large group of potential cases of this disease associated with COVID-19 vaccination in North American adolescents and adults under 21 years of age, says co-author of the study. , the professor. Jane W Neuberger.

The researchers analyzed data from 26 pediatric centers in the United States and Canada on patients under the age of 21 who had symptoms of disease that appeared a month after vaccination and study results.

In all, the researchers evaluated 139 cases of young adults between the ages of 12 and 20.

90% of the patients are male, with a mean age of 15.8 years. Almost all cases of the disease developed after vaccination with an mRNA-based preparation, and symptoms appeared, on average, within 2 days of vaccination.

It was the most common symptom pain in chest (99.3% of patients), fever (30.9%) and shortness of breath (27.3%). Yes. One fifth of the patients were admitted to the intensive care unit, but no one died. Most people were hospitalized for 2-3 days.

More than two-thirds of patients who underwent an MRI had signs of inflammation or damage to the heart muscle. In approximately 19 percent left ventricular function was impaired, but later cardiac function returned to normal in all patients.

These data indicate that in most cases, myocarditis in people under the age of 21, which may be associated with COVID-19 vaccines, is mild and resolves quickly, says study author, Prof. Dongangan Te Trung.

– We are very happy with this recovery. However, we await further research to better understand the long-term effects in patients who have experienced myocarditis associated with the COVID-19 vaccination. We also need to investigate risk factors and the mechanism behind this rare complication, he adds.

The study authors also pay attention to its limitations. For example, the percentage of vaccinated people who developed myocarditis was not achieved. In addition, the people included in the analysis were patients who came to the hospital, which means they could have had more severe symptoms than other patients who did not go to the clinic.

– It is important for the public and health professionals to have information about the early signs and symptoms and the course of recovery from myocarditis, especially since these vaccines are increasingly available to children – emphasizes the professor. Trung.

In summarizing their findings, the researchers note that they confirm the safety of the vaccinations they are urging as well.