Study Used to Falsely Claim Myocarditis Risk Higher From Vaccine Than COVID-19

Several social media accounts with large followings have shared the preprint of a study that claims teen boys are at greater myocarditis (heart inflammation) risk from vaccination than COVID-19 infection. The study, which is still under peer review, has been heavily criticized by physicians and public health experts who noted that it relies entirely on a search for potential myocarditis-related symptoms in unverified VAERS reports. The study’s authors flagged every VAERS report of high levels of the heart protein troponin as “myocarditis.” Cardiologists were quick to point out that equating high troponin with myocarditis is grossly inaccurate as the protein can increase in response to many regular activities, including exercise. The study also does not directly compare myocarditis following vaccination and COVID-19 infection; it compares VAERS reports that may be related to myocarditis in young men to COVID-19 hospitalization for the same age group. The study failed to correct for the baseline level of myocarditis in the age group and ignored that their risk of developing myocarditis from a COVID-19 infection is seven times higher than from COVID-19 vaccination.

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