Myocarditis and pericarditis are rare side events to mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) and particularly affect young males. The inflammation resolves within a few days
Francesca Marcon, 38, a Venetian volleyball player who plays in Bergamo announced on social media that he has the pericarditis (inflammation of the membrane that protects the heart). According to the athlete it would be a side effect of the vaccine against Covid-19 for this reason the spiker will join the group of his team only next week.
But what do we know about the cases of pericarditis and myocarditis linked to messenger mRNA vaccines?
Rare side effect of the vaccine
Rare cases of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle tissue) e pericarditis (inflammation of the membrane covering the heart) can occur after the use of m-RNA vaccines against Covid, Pfizer and Moderna, so much so that Ema, the European Medicines Agency in mid-July recommended inserting the two heart conditions among the new side effects of the vaccine. Ema’s Safety Committee arrived at this decision based on European data: 164 cases of myocarditis and 157 of pericarditis out of 200 million doses administered, 321 in all. Cases of inflammation were reported to have occurred within two weeks of vaccination, most frequently after the second dose, particularly in young males.
Benefits outweigh the risks
The benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks, so much so that both the FDA and the EMA have recommended and continue to recommend the vaccine for over 12s. According to an analysis by the CDC, one million doses of Pfizer vaccine can, in the 12-29 age group, avoid 23,500 cases of Covid, about 1,500 hospitalizations, 211 admissions to intensive care and 12 deaths. All this against a risk of 43-52 cases of myocarditis. We know that there can be rare cases of myocarditis and pericarditis after the mRNA vaccine, more frequent among males between 20-30 years of age. an expected event, but the benefits of the vaccine greatly outweigh the risks and this is demonstrated by the table published by the CDC (see below, ed) comments Sergio Abrignani, immunologist at the University of Milan and member of the Cts. These very rare events should not push us to refuse a vaccine because the risks of complications from Covid are really far greater. There have never been severe forms of myocarditis or pericarditis, the few cases have resolved in a few days of cortisone therapy and luckily even the volleyball player will be able to reunite with her team in a few days. One in a million cases of this type of complication occur in a woman over the age of 30.
Studies
A study that collected data on 2 million vaccinated Americans published in Jama on August 4 showed that every million vaccinated about 60 develop temporary heart problems. The complications were all short-lived
, patients who were hospitalized were discharged within a couple of days and no one died. The study recorded 20 cases of myocarditis (one case per 100,000) and 37 of pericarditis (1.8 cases per 100,000). The research shows an overall incidence of 10 cases per million vaccinated, higher than the estimate released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which spoke of 4.8 cases per million based on data reported by the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System. Myocarditis developed on average 3.5 days after vaccination, mainly after the second dose, in people with an average age of 36 years, in three quarters of cases men. Pericarditis, on the other hand, affected older patients (average age 59 years) and also in this case men were more affected. Another small Jama study looked at the cases of 15 children admitted to hospital with post-vaccine myocarditis. All experienced chest pain, two-thirds fever. The mean length of hospitalization was two days and within 13 days of discharge 11 of the 15 patients had completely overcome symptoms and the others were on the mend. In the latest Aifa report on post vaccine adverse events, myocarditis and acute pericarditis (3 cases per million doses administered) between 12 and 17 years are reported among the very rare adverse events.
Myocarditis is six times more common in young people with Covid
Another study not yet published in a scientific journal and not peer-reviewed suggests that the risk of developing myocarditis six times greater in male adolescents who have contracted Covid-19 compared to the likelihood that the rare side effect will emerge after receiving a Pfizer vaccine. According to the research, the incidence of myocarditis among males with Covid aged between 12 and 17 years 876 cases in a million while in girls of the same age we speak of 213 cases per million.
Symptoms of myocarditis and pericarditis
The myocarditis a’acute inflammation of myocardial cells and manifests itself with palpitations, increased heart rate, chest tightness, sometimes fever and cough. In case of pericarditis the heart does not work well, it cannot expand properly and they can appear pain, heart rhythm disturbance, increased heart rate, general malaise. These are conditions that can often have viral origin, so much so that in the pre-Covid era myocarditis was often a consequence of a flu infection. So far, the cases of post-vaccine myocarditis or pericarditis that have emerged among young people have been treated with NSAID or cortisone anti-inflammatory drugs. It is unclear why these heart conditions emerge following the vaccine. possible that it is an excess of inflammatory response following the vaccine stimulus
August 20, 2021 (change August 20, 2021 | 9:30 pm)
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