Uneventful COVID-19 Infection and Vaccination in a Cohort of Patients with Prior Myocarditis
Anna Baritussio,
Andrea Silvio Giordani,
Cristina Basso,
Cristina Vicenzetto,
Giulia Lorenzoni,
Matteo Gasparin,
Sabino Iliceto,
Bruno Scarpa,
Dario Gregori,
Renzo Marcolongo,
Alida Linda Patrizia Caforio
Affiliations
Anna Baritussio
Cardiology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Padua University Hospital, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy
Andrea Silvio Giordani
Cardiology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Padua University Hospital, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy
Cristina Basso
Cardiac Pathology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy
Cristina Vicenzetto
Cardiology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Padua University Hospital, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy
Giulia Lorenzoni
Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences, and Public Health, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy
Matteo Gasparin
Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Padua, 35121 Padua, Italy
Sabino Iliceto
Cardiology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Padua University Hospital, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy
Bruno Scarpa
Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Padua, 35121 Padua, Italy
Dario Gregori
Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences, and Public Health, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy
Renzo Marcolongo
Cardiology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Padua University Hospital, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy
Alida Linda Patrizia Caforio
Cardiology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Padua University Hospital, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy
Myocarditis has in rare cases been associated with COVID-19 infection and has emerged as a possible rare side effect of vaccination with anti-COVID-19 messenger RNA vaccines. However, little is known about possible COVID-19 infection- and/or vaccination-related myocarditis relapse in patients with previous clinically suspected or biopsy-proven myocarditis. Myocarditis may relapse, particularly in females with immune-mediated/autoimmune features and a predisposing immunogenetic background. We aimed to assess the prevalence of myocarditis relapse during the COVID-19 outbreak and following COVID-19 vaccination in a cohort of patients with prior myocarditis. We included in the analysis myocarditis patients on active follow-up, for whom COVID-19 infection and vaccination statuses were known, and collected data on clinical, laboratory and echocardiographic findings, and myocarditis relapse. We enrolled 409 patients, of whom 114 (28%) reported COVID-19 infection and 347 (85%) completed the vaccination scheme. Only one patient, having COVID-19 infection before the vaccination campaign started, was admitted to hospital because of pneumonia; the remaining patients had an uneventful COVID-19 infection course, with only mild symptoms. No myocarditis relapse was recorded following COVID-19 infection or vaccination. Moreover, the frequency of new myocarditis cases following the COVID-19 outbreak was not different compared to the three-year period preceding the COVID-19 era. In conclusion, in our cohort of patients with prior myocarditis, both COVID-19 infection and vaccination were uneventful.
