Cohort Study of Cardiovascular Safety of COVID-19 Vaccine Doses in 46 Million UK Adults

Study Overview

Nat Commun. 2024 Jul;15(1):6085. PMID: 39085208

Abstract

The first dose of COVID-19 vaccine was associated with an overall reduction in cardiovascular events and, rarely, cardiovascular complications. Information on the effect of second and booster doses on cardiovascular disease is scarce. Using longitudinal health records of 45.7 million adults in England from December 2020 to January 2022, we compared the incidence of thrombotic and cardiovascular complications up to 26 weeks after the first, second, and booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine brands and combinations used in the UK vaccination program with the corresponding incidence rates before vaccination or without vaccination.

Key Findings

• The incidence of common arterial thrombotic events (mainly acute myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke) was generally low after each vaccine, brand, and combination.
• The incidence of common venous thrombotic events (mainly pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities) was low after vaccination.
• Vaccination was followed by a high incidence of previously reported rare adverse events: vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia after primary ChAdOx1 vaccination, and transient myocarditis and pericarditis after primary, secondary, and booster mRNA vaccines (BNT-162b2 and mRNA-1273).

Conclusion

These findings support the widespread deployment of future COVID-19 vaccination programs. The study provides valuable insights into the cardiovascular safety of COVID-19 vaccine doses and can inform public health policy and decision-making.

Study Details

The study used longitudinal health records of 45.7 million adults in England from December 2020 to January 2022 to compare the incidence of thrombotic and cardiovascular complications up to 26 weeks after the first, second, and booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine brands and combinations used in the UK vaccination program.