Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-2024

Identifier

DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102809; PMCID: PMC11406334

Abstract

BACKGROUND: We aimed to study the clinical characteristics, myocardial injury, and longitudinal outcomes of COVID-19 vaccine-associated myocarditis (C-VAM).

METHODS: In this longitudinal retrospective observational cohort multicenter study across 38 hospitals in the United States, 333 patients with C-VAM were compared with 100 patients with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). We included patients ≤30 years of age with a clinical diagnosis of acute myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination based on clinical presentation, abnormal biomarkers and/or cardiovascular imaging findings. Demographics, past medical history, hospital course, biochemistry results, cardiovascular imaging, and follow-up information from April 2021 to November 2022 were collected. The primary outcome was presence of myocardial injury as evidenced by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging.

FINDINGS: Patients with C-VAM were predominantly white (67%) adolescent males (91%, 15.7 ± 2.8 years). Their initial clinical course was more likely to be mild (80% vs. 23%, p < 0.001) and cardiac dysfunction was less common (17% vs. 68%, p < 0.0001), compared to MIS-C. In contrast, LGE on CMR was more prevalent in C-VAM (82% vs. 16%, p < 0.001). The probability of LGE was higher in males (OR 3.28 [95% CI: 0.99, 10.6, p = 0.052]), in older patients (>15 years, OR 2.74 [95% CI: 1.28, 5.83, p = 0.009]) and when C-VAM occurred after the first or second dose as compared to the third dose of mRNA vaccine. Mid-term clinical outcomes of C-VAM at a median follow-up of 178 days (IQR 114-285 days) were reassuring. No cardiac deaths or heart transplantations were reported until the time of submission of this report. LGE persisted in 60% of the patients at follow up.

INTERPRETATION: Myocardial injury at initial presentation and its persistence at follow up, despite a mild initial course and favorable mid-term clinical outcome, warrants continued clinical surveillance and long-term studies in affected patients with C-VAM.

FUNDING: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Journal Title

EClinicalMedicine

Volume

76

First Page

102809

Last Page

102809

Keywords

COVID-19 vaccine-associated myocarditis; Cardiac MRI; LGE late gadolinium enhancement; MIS-C multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children; Myocardial injury; Myocarditis

Comments

This article is available under the Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND license and permits non-commercial use of the work as published, without adaptation or alteration provided the work is fully attributed.

Publisher's Link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(24)00388-2/fulltext

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