Assessment of Risk for Sudden Cardiac Death Among Adolescents and Young Adults After Receipt of COVID-19 Vaccine - Oregon, June 2021-December 2022

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024 Apr 11;73(14):317-320. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7314a5.

Abstract

COVID-19 vaccination has been associated with myocarditis in adolescents and young adults, and concerns have been raised about possible vaccine-related cardiac fatalities in this age group. In April 2021, cases of myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination, particularly among young male vaccine recipients, were reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. To assess this possibility, investigators searched death certificates for Oregon residents aged 16-30 years who died during June 2021-December 2022 for cardiac or undetermined causes of death. For identified decedents, records in Oregon's immunization information system were reviewed for documentation of mRNA COVID-19 vaccination received ≤100 days before death. Among 1,292 identified deaths, COVID-19 was cited as the cause for 30. For 101 others, a cardiac cause of death could not be excluded; among these decedents, immunization information system records were available for 88, three of whom had received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccination within 100 days of death. Of 40 deaths that occurred among persons who had received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine dose, three occurred ≤100 days after vaccination. Two of these deaths were attributed to chronic underlying conditions; the cause was undetermined for one. No death certificate attributed death to vaccination. These data do not support an association between receipt of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and sudden cardiac death among previously healthy young persons. COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all persons aged ≥6 months to prevent COVID-19 and complications, including death.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • COVID-19 Vaccines* / adverse effects
  • COVID-19* / prevention & control
  • Death, Sudden, Cardiac* / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Myocarditis* / epidemiology
  • Oregon / epidemiology
  • Vaccination
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • COVID-19 Vaccines