Teen Boys Vulnerable to Myocarditis Side Effects from Pfizer Vaccine... "Large-Scale Study Needed"

Risk of Myocarditis 14 Times Higher... Still, Vaccination Is Safer

(Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Senior Reporter Jinsoo Lee] A report has been released indicating that Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine may pose a significant threat to male adolescents in their teens.

According to a report published online on the 10th (local time) in the 'Journal of the American Medical Association Cardiology (JAMA Cardiology)' by researchers at Boston Children's Hospital in the United States, male adolescents in their teens who received the Pfizer vaccine were found to have a 14 times higher probability of suffering from myocarditis.

The United States has already started vaccinating children. Analysis based on local data shows that male adolescents in their teens have an even higher likelihood of developing myocarditis.

The researchers analyzed data from 15 teenagers who developed myocarditis after receiving the Pfizer vaccine. Among them, only one was a female adolescent.

The results of this analysis closely align with data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC reports that male adolescents in their teens have a ninefold increased risk of suffering from myocarditis.

All 15 teenagers surveyed reportedly experienced chest pain. The chest pain began two days after vaccination and lasted up to nine days in some cases. However, none of the adolescents required intensive care due to severe symptoms. All were discharged within five days of hospitalization.

However, the researchers stated that the long-term risks of myocarditis following vaccination remain unknown.

Myocarditis refers to inflammation of the heart muscle caused by a virus. It usually resolves over time without complications. Although rare, it can damage the heart and disrupt normal heartbeats. In some cases, a heart transplant may be necessary.

The majority of the teenagers surveyed saw the inflammation disappear within two weeks. Dr. Audrey Dion, head of the cardiology department at Boston Children's Hospital who led the study, explained, "When the children arrived at the hospital, their troponin levels were consistently elevated, but by the time of discharge, the levels had returned to normal." The left ventricular condition of the children also returned to normal a few days after symptom onset.

When myocardial cells are damaged, the blood level of the protein troponin increases. In a normal myocardium, troponin levels are so low they cannot be measured. Even a slight increase in troponin levels indicates some degree of myocardial damage.

According to the researchers, the symptom progression pattern in the surveyed children differed from the pattern seen in inflammation caused by severe heart disease. The latter requires intensive care and can be fatal in severe cases.

This analysis indicates that while myocarditis is a serious side effect in teenage boys after vaccination, receiving the vaccine is still safer than contracting COVID-19.

However, long-term large-scale studies are necessary to ensure safer vaccination for younger children.