Canadian researchers found the rate of rare heart inflammation was twofold to threefold higher after receipt of the Moderna vaccine compared with Pfizer, according to an article published on the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy's website.
The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on Nov. 8, analyzed diagnosis of myocarditis, pericarditis and myopericarditis during hospitalization or emergency room visits within 21 days after receipt of the second COVID-19 vaccine.
The results showed Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine had a higher risk of developing rare heart inflammation, but the chances were still small for both vaccines.
"Its results have practical policy implications: for a substantial segment of the population suffering from cardiovascular disease, especially those with left ventricular dysfunction, in whom minimizing risk of myocardial insult is crucial, these data give a strong argument to preferentially use the BNT162b2 [Pfizer] vaccine over mRNA-1273 [Moderna]," Dr. Guy Witberg and Dr. Ilan Richter wrote in a commentary regarding the study.