A comprehensive study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) concluded that Covid-19 vaccination does not elevate the risk of unexplained sudden deaths among young adults in India.
Published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research (IJMR) on November 16, the research highlig hts that factors such as current smoking status, frequency of alcohol use, recent binge drinking, recreational drug/substance use, and vigorous-intensity activity are associated with unexplained sudden deaths. The study reveals that higher frequency of alcohol consumption increases the odds of unexplained sudden death compared to teetotalers.
In response to media reports linking sudden unexplained deaths in apparently healthy young adults in India to Covid-19 infection or vaccination, the ICMR conducted a multicentric matched case–control study. Examining individuals aged 18-45 years from 47 tertiary care hospitals across India, the researchers analysed 729 cases and 2,916 controls.
The cases involved seemingly healthy individuals without known comorbidities who died suddenly (within 24 hours of hospitalisation or were seen as healthy 24 hours before death) due to unexplained causes between October 1, 2021, and March 31, 2023.
The study’s findings refute the notion that Covid-19 vaccination increases the risk of unexplained sudden death among young adults in India. Instead, the researchers identified factors such as past Covid-19 hospitalisation, a family history of sudden death, and certain lifestyle behaviours as contributors to the likelihood of unexplained sudden death.
Moreover, the research indicated that receiving at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine reduces the odds of unexplained sudden death. Individuals with unexplained sudden death were four times more likely to have been hospitalised for Covid-19.
The researchers emphasise that their findings do not support a positive association between unexplained sudden death and Covid-19 vaccination. However, it notes that a history of sudden death in the family, Covid-19 hospitalisation, and specific high-risk behavioural factors are positively associated with unexplained sudden death among young Indians. Contrarily, the study documents that Covid-19 vaccination indeed diminishes the risk of unexplained sudden death in this age group.
