Global estimates on the reports of vaccine‐associated myocarditis and pericarditis from 1969 to 2023: Findings with critical reanalysis from the WHO pharmacovigilance database

Abstract

AbstractDue to the limitation of previous studies examining adverse reports of myocarditis and pericarditis associated with vaccines other than the COVID‐19 vaccine, there are challenges in establishing a comprehensive understanding of vaccine safety on a global scale. Hence, the objective of this study was to examine the worldwide burden of vaccine‐associated pericarditis and myocarditis and the vaccines associated with these indications. This study utilized the World Health Organization international pharmacovigilance database, from which records of vaccine‐associated pericarditis and myocarditis between 1969 and 2023 were extracted (over 130 million reports). We calculated global reporting counts, reported odds ratios (RORs), and information components (ICs) to discern the association between 19 vaccines and the occurrence of pericarditis and myocarditis across 156 countries and territories. We identified 49 096 reports (male, n = 30 013) of vaccine‐associated pericarditis and myocarditis among 73 590 reports of all‐cause pericarditis and myocarditis. There has been a significant increase in reports of vaccine‐related cardiac adverse events over time, with a noteworthy surge observed after 2020, attributed to cases of pericarditis associated with COVID‐19 mRNA vaccines. Smallpox vaccines were associated with most pericarditis and myocarditis reports (ROR: 73.68 [95% CI, 67.79–80.10]; IC [IC0.25]: 6.05 [5.91]), followed by COVID‐19 mRNA vaccine (37.77 [37.00–38.56]; 3.07 [3.05]), anthrax vaccine (25.54 [22.37–29.16]; 4.58 [4.35]), typhoid vaccine (6.17 [5.16–7.38]; 2.59 [2.29]), encephalitis vaccine (2.00 [1.48–2.71]; 0.99 [0.47]), influenza vaccine (1.87 [1.71–2.04]; 0.90 [0.75]), and Ad5‐vectored COVID‐19 vaccine (1.40 [1.34–1.46]; 0.46 [0.39]). Concerning age and sex‐specific risks, reports of vaccine‐associated pericarditis and myocarditis were more prevalent among males and in older age groups. The age group between 12 and 17 years exhibited significant sex disproportion. Most of these adverse events had a short time to onset (median time: 1 day) and fatality rate was 0.44%. Our analysis of global data revealed an increase in pericarditis and myocarditis reports associated with vaccines, particularly live vaccines like smallpox and anthrax, notably in young males. While these adverse events are generally rare and mild, caution is warranted, especially for healthcare workers, due to potential myocardial injury‐related in‐hospital mortality. Further study with validated reporting is crucial to enhance accuracy in evaluating the correlation between vaccines and cardiac conditions for preventive measures.