Most cases of suspected COVID-19 vaccine-related myocarditis occurring in young people have a mild clinical course, according to a study published in Circulation. Dongngan T. Truong, MD, and colleagues collected data on patients younger than 21 presenting before July 4, 2021 with suspected myocarditis within 30 days of COVID-19 vaccination. Data were included for 139 adolescents and young adults (median age, 15.8) with 140 episodes of suspected myocarditis (49 confirmed and 91 probable). The researchers found that 136 patients (97.8%) had suspected myocarditis after mRNA vaccination. Symptom onset occurred at a median of 2 days after vaccination. Chest pain was the most common symptom (99.3%). Treatment included NSAIDs, intravenous immunoglobulin, glucocorticoids, colchicine, or no anti-inflammatory therapies (81.3%, 21.6%, 21.6%, 7.9%, and 8.6%, respectively). Overall, 26 patients (18.7%) were in the ICU, two received inotropic/vasoactive support, and none required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or died.
