Risk of Myocarditis is increased seven times with COVID-19 as compared to vaccines

The risk of developing myocarditis - or inflammation of the heart muscle - is seven times higher with a COVID-19 infection than with the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a recent study by Penn State College of Medicine scientists. Patients with myocarditis can experience chest pains, shortness of breath or an irregular heartbeat. In severe cases, the inflammation can lead to heart failure and death.

Myocarditis is one of the complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although vaccines have been shown to reduce severe COVID-19 symptoms, heart complications have been associated with mRNA COVID-19 vaccination - particularly myocarditis in teenage boys. However, the relative risk of myocarditis due to vaccines and infections had not been well characterized in large studies.

Investigators conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 22 studies published worldwide from December 2019 through May 2022. The studies included nearly 58 million patients who reported cardiac complications and belonged to one of two groups: the 55.5 million who were vaccinated against COVID-19 compared to those who were not vaccinated (vaccination group), and the 2.5 million who contracted the virus compared to those who did not contract the virus (COVID-19 group).

In the vaccination group, the researchers separately compared the risk of myocarditis for various COVID-19 vaccines, including mRNA (Pfizer, Moderna), Novavax, AstraZeneca, and Johnson and Johnson. The median age of the study population was 49 years; 49% were men; and the median follow-up time after infection or COVID-19 vaccination was 28 days.

The researchers found that among those diagnosed with myocarditis after receiving the vaccine or having COVID-19, the majority (61%) were men. Of patients diagnosed with myocarditis in both vaccination and COVID-19 groups, 1.07% were hospitalized and 0.015% died.

Reference:

Dr. Navya Voleti et al,Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine,DOI 10.3389/fcvm.2022.951314