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Roncati L, Manenti A, Corsi L. A Three-Case Series of Thrombotic Deaths in Patients over 50 with Comorbidities Temporally after modRNA COVID-19 Vaccination. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11040435. [PMID: 35456110 PMCID: PMC9032304 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11040435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the most dramatic pandemic of the new millennium; to counteract it, specific vaccines have been launched in record time under emergency use authorization or conditional marketing authorization by virtue of a favorable risk/benefit balance. Among the various technological platforms, there is that exploiting a nucleoside-modified messenger RNA (modRNA), such as Comirnaty®, and that which is adenoviral vector-based. In the ongoing pharmacovigilance, the product information of the latter has been updated about the risk of thrombotic thrombocytopenia, venous thromboembolism without thrombocytopenia and immune thrombocytopenia without thrombosis. However, from an in-depth literature review, the same adverse events can rarely occur with modRNA vaccines too. In support of this, we here report a three-case series of thrombotic deaths in patients over 50 with comorbidities temporally after Comirnaty®, investigated by means of post-mortem histopathology and immunohistochemistry. In two out of three cases, the cause of death is traced back to pulmonary microthromboses rich in activated platelets, quite similar morphologically to those described in patients who died from severe COVID-19. Even if remote in the face of millions of administered doses, clinicians should be aware of the possible thrombotic risk also after Comirnaty®, in order to avoid a misdiagnosis with potentially lethal consequences. Since COVID-19 vaccines are inoculated in subjects to be protected, maximum attention must be paid to their safety, and prophylactic measures to increase it are always welcome. In light of the evidence, the product information of modRNA COVID-19 vaccines should be updated about the thrombotic risk, as happened for adenoviral vector-based vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Roncati
- Institute of Pathology, Department of Surgery, Medicine, Dentistry and Morphological Sciences with Interest in Transplantation, Oncology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
- Correspondence: or or
| | - Antonio Manenti
- Unit of Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medicine, Dentistry and Morphological Sciences with Interest in Transplantation, Oncology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy;
| | - Lorenzo Corsi
- Department of Life Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy;
- National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems, Inter-University Consortium, 00136 Rome, Italy
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Abrignani MG, Murrone A, De Luca L, Roncon L, Di Lenarda A, Valente S, Caldarola P, Riccio C, Oliva F, Gulizia MM, Gabrielli D, Colivicchi F. COVID-19, Vaccines, and Thrombotic Events: A Narrative Review. J Clin Med 2022; 11:948. [PMID: 35207220 PMCID: PMC8880092 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11040948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a deadly pandemic that has affected millions of people worldwide, is associated with cardiovascular complications, including venous and arterial thromboembolic events. Viral spike proteins, in fact, may promote the release of prothrombotic and inflammatory mediators. Vaccines, coding for the spike protein, are the primary means for preventing COVID-19. However, some unexpected thrombotic events at unusual sites, most frequently located in the cerebral venous sinus but also splanchnic, with associated thrombocytopenia, have emerged in subjects who received adenovirus-based vaccines, especially in fertile women. This clinical entity was soon recognized as a new syndrome, named vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia, probably caused by cross-reacting anti-platelet factor-4 antibodies activating platelets. For this reason, the regulatory agencies of various countries restricted the use of adenovirus-based vaccines to some age groups. The prevailing opinion of most experts, however, is that the risk of developing COVID-19, including thrombotic complications, clearly outweighs this potential risk. This point-of-view aims at providing a narrative review of epidemiological issues, clinical data, and pathogenetic hypotheses of thrombosis linked to both COVID-19 and its vaccines, helping medical practitioners to offer up-to-date and evidence-based counseling to their often-alarmed patients with acute or chronic cardiovascular thrombotic events.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adriano Murrone
- Cardiology-UTIC, Hospitals of Città di Castello and Gubbio-Gualdo Tadino, AUSL Umbria 1, 06100 Perugia, Italy;
| | - Leonardo De Luca
- Cardiology, Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Department, San Camillo Forlanini Hospital, 00100 Rome, Italy; (L.D.L.); (D.G.)
| | - Loris Roncon
- Cardiology Department, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, 45100 Rovigo, Italy;
| | - Andrea Di Lenarda
- Cardiovascular and Sports Medicine Department, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano Isontina-ASUGI, 34100 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Serafina Valente
- Clinical Surgical Cardiology (UTIC), A.O.U. Senese, Santa Maria alle Scotte Hospital, 53100 Siena, Italy;
| | | | - Carmine Riccio
- Follow-Up of the Post-Acute Patient Unit, Cardio-Vascular Department, A.O.R.N. Sant’Anna and San Sebastiano, 81000 Caserta, Italy;
| | - Fabrizio Oliva
- Cardiology 1-Hemodynamics, Cardiological Intensive Care Unit, Cardiothoracovascular Department “A. De Gasperis”, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, 20100 Milan, Italy;
| | - Michele M. Gulizia
- Cardiology Department, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, Company of National Importance and High Specialization “Garibaldi”, 95100 Catania, Italy;
- Heart Care Foundation, 50121 Florence, Italy
| | - Domenico Gabrielli
- Cardiology, Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Department, San Camillo Forlanini Hospital, 00100 Rome, Italy; (L.D.L.); (D.G.)
| | - Furio Colivicchi
- Clinical and Rehabilitation Cardiology Department, Presidio Ospedaliero San Filippo Neri—ASL Roma 1, 00100 Rome, Italy;
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