Large Hemorrhagic Pericardial Effusion and Cardiac Tamponade Following BNT162b2 (BioNTech/Pfizer) Vaccine

Abstract

The introduction of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccinations has been useful in decreasing risks of severe illness with COVID-19 infection. Cardiac tamponade is a rare cardiovascular emergency that has been observed following both mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccinations and COVID-19 infections. We report the first case of a hemorrhagic pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade in a 52-year-old woman occurring one week following the second dose of the BNT162b2 (BioNTech/Pfizer) SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. The time sequence in this case report correlates with reports submitted to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which indicates that cases of pericarditis following mRNA vaccination most commonly occur within 1-2 weeks following the second dose of vaccination.