A study supported by the NIH found no serious complications after rare immune conditions.
In a study of children who had received a COVID-19 vaccine following the multisystem inflammatory disorder (MIS-C), there were no serious complications reported, including myocarditis and recurrence of MIS-C. Around half of participants had mild reactions such as fatigue and arm pain. The National Institutes of Health funded study shows that it’s safe to receive a vaccination after having MIS C. The results were published in JAMA Network Open.
The study is the largest observational study of its kind that has examined COVID vaccination among this group. It helps to resolve a lingering issue about whether the COVID can increase health problems for young people who had MIS C, a rare but potentially fatal immune reaction that can happen after infection with SARS CoV-2, which causes COVID-19.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MIS-C affects about 1 out of every 3,000-4,000 children and teens who have COVID-19. This condition can occur a few months after COVID and lead to organ failure. Myocarditis is a serious condition that can cause symptoms such as stomach pain, fever and rash. MIS-C is not known to have a specific cause, but medication can be used to reduce the inflammation which can harm organs.
Families and healthcare professionals questioned if COVID vaccinations could cause more serious adverse reactions, such as a recurrence, in people with a history MIS-C. However, there were no data available on the topic.
This cross-sectional analysis included 22 medical centres (21 in the United States, and 1 in Canada), who were participating in the NHLBI’s Long-Term Results After the Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MUSIC) Study. The study enrolled 385 patients with a prior MIS C who were eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine. 185 (48.1%) of this group received at least one dose. The median age of the participants was 12.2, and 73.5% of them were male. Participants were of different races – 24.3% Black, 31.9% Hispanic and 28.6% white. The median time between their MIS C diagnosis and their first vaccination dose was nine months.
In 49% of those who had received a COVID vaccine after MIS-C there were mild side effects, mainly arm soreness or fatigue, which is similar to what the general public experiences. Researchers reported that there were no serious complications such as myocarditis, or recurrences of MIS C.
Matthew D. Elias M.D. is a pediatric cardiologist and clinical assistant professor of Pediatrics at University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He was the study’s co-leader. Audrey Dionne, M.D. is a pediatric cardiologist at Boston Children’s Hospital, and an assistant professor of pediatrics in Harvard Medical School Boston. She was also the co-leader of this study. Researchers have treated MIS-C in children throughout the pandemic.
Dionne said that the findings support the CDC’s recommendations that patients with a MIS-C history receive a COVID vaccination at least 90 day after diagnosis, and that this is safe.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of NIH, said that “in light of the acute and the long-term effects of COVID-19, it is essential to continue development, testing, and the deployment of preventive and therapeutic agents both in at-risk group as well as general population.”
CDC data shows that more than 9,000 Americans have been diagnosed with MIS C and 74 of them have died. According to other studies, the disease is on the decline.
Dionne stated that the COVID vaccine has proven to be protective in preventing this rare condition from occurring.
Researchers said that while many patients with MIS C make a complete clinical recovery, certain studies indicate chronic symptoms can persist after MIS C. This is why researchers believe long-term outcomes studies are beneficial. The MUSIC project is part of a collaborative research effort by the NIH called CARING for Children With COVID. It aims to understand the effects of COVID on children. Children account for 13% of all cases in the United States.
The NHLBI’s MUSIC Study funded the research reported in this report. This study was supported by grants HL135680 HL135685 HL135683 HL135689 HL135646 HL135665 HL135678 HL135682 HL135666 HL135691 and HL068270. The study utilizes the research infrastructure of Pediatric Heart Network (a pediatric cardiology consortium funded by NHLBI) and HealthCore Inc., its data coordination center.
