ICMR study debunks Covid vaccine link to sudden deaths in young adults

New Delhi: A new study led by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has found that factors such as severe COVID-19 infection, a family history of sudden deaths, and certain lifestyle habits may be responsible for sudden, unexplained deaths among young adults in India, not Covid vaccination.

Published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research, the peer-reviewed study focused on adults aged 18 to 45 and examined the reasons behind a spate of unexplained sudden deaths reported in recent years.

The study, conducted in 2023, came in response to growing anecdotal concerns linking these deaths to COVID-19 infection or vaccination. However, the findings clearly indicate that Covid vaccines were not responsible for the sudden fatalities observed among otherwise healthy young individuals.

"Covid-19 vaccination did not increase the risk of unexplained sudden death among young adults in India. Past Covid-19 hospitalisation, family history of sudden death, and certain lifestyle behaviours increased the likelihood of unexplained sudden death,” the researchers said.

Using a multicentric matched case-control model, the researchers included 729 cases and 2,916 controls from 47 tertiary care hospitals across India.

The cases were apparently healthy individuals aged 18-45 years without any known co-morbidity, who suddenly (were seen healthy 24 hours before death) died of unexplained causes between October 2021 and March 2023.

Four controls were included per case, matched for age, gender, and neighbourhood.

The team interviewed/perused records to collect data on COVID vaccination or infection and post-COVID conditions, family history of sudden death, smoking, recreational drug use, alcohol frequency and binge drinking, and vigorous-intensity physical activity two days before death/interviews.

“The results showed that receiving at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine lowered the odds for unexplained sudden death,” the researchers said. Two doses further lowered the odds of unexplained sudden death.

On the other hand, “past Covid-19 hospitalisation, family history of sudden death, binge drinking 48 hours before death, use of recreational drug or substance and performing vigorous-intensity physical activity 48 hours before death were positively associated”, the team added. IANS