A new paper published in JAMA compares the damage caused by COVID myocarditis with idiopathic or conventional myocarditis. The study, conducted by French researchers, explores the debate surrounding which type of myocarditis is worse: myocarditis caused by vaccination or myocarditis resulting from COVID infection without vaccination.
While the paper doesn't provide the denominator, the raw counts of hospitalizations in France reveal that young men who have received the vaccine and booster shots are more likely to experience myocarditis compared to those who have not been vaccinated. The authors accidentally reveal this information in the Supplementary Appendix.
It is important to note that vaccines do not completely prevent COVID transmission, meaning that individuals who choose the vaccinated pathway can still contract the virus and potentially develop myocarditis. The paper suggests that age-specific data would show that vaccination and boosting leads to a higher risk of myocarditis in young men.
The study raises questions about the effectiveness and safety of COVID vaccines, particularly in relation to myocarditis.
