Heart problems much more likely with COVID infection than vaccine

Myocarditis or pericarditis are much more likely to follow infection with SARS-CoV2 compared with COVID-19 vaccinations, according to research published today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.The study was based on electronic health records from 40 US health care systems from Jan 1, 2021, through Jan 31, 2022, and heart conditions following COVID-19 infections among stratified age groups (5 to 11, 12 to 17, 18 to 29, and ≥30 years).

The rates were compared to documented cases of cardiac conditions following one or two doses of mRNA vaccines.Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle, and pericarditis is inflammation of the tissue that encases the heart.Data support vaccination"The incidence of cardiac outcomes after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination was highest for males aged 12–17 years after the second vaccine dose; however, within this demographic group, the risk for cardiac outcomes was 1.8–5.6 times as high after SARS-CoV-2 infection than after the second vaccine dose," the authors wrote.For boys ages 5 to 11, the incidences of myocarditis and myocarditis or pericarditis were 12.6 to 17.6 cases per 100,000 after infection, 0 to 4 cases after the first vaccine dose, and 0 after the second dose.The numbers shift substantially for males ages 12 to 17: In that group, the incidences of myocarditis and myocarditis or pericarditis were 50.1 to 64.9 cases per 100,000 after infection, 2.2 to 3.3 cases after the first vaccine dose, and 22.0 to 35.9 after the second dose.Though cardiac complications following either natural infection or vaccination were rare, they were much more common in males compared to females, and in teens compared to older adults or younger children.