A recent study from the United States has said that the occurrence of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) following administration of Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 is rare and women are more at risk of developing CVST.

All CVST cases in Olmsted County, Minnesota from January 1, 2001, through December 31, 2015 were identified. Data was then sourced from the CDC Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System from February 28, 2021 to May 7, 2021 to determine the incidence of CVST after J&J vaccination. The risk of CVST after the vaccination was then compared to the rates of CVST prior to the pandemic.

Results published in JAMA Internal Medicine show that compared to the prepandemic rate, the incidence of CVST was much higher after the vaccination; 2.34 per 100,000 person-years (PY) versus 8.65 per 100,000 PY at 15 days, respectively. Most events were recorded within two weeks of taking the vaccine versus 5.02 per 100 000 PY at one month and 1.73 per 100 000 PY at 3 months

The incidence of postvaccination CVST was found to be 5.1-folds higher in women compared to the prepandemic rate among women; 13.01 vs 2.53 per 100,000 PY, respectively. Women in the age group of 30-49 years were at the highest risk, even though the absolute CVST risk was still low. The risk was 29.50 per 100,000 PY in women aged 40 to 49 years, while it was 26.50 per 100,000 PY in women aged 30 to 39 years.

This study has shown the risk of CVST following administration of Johnson & Johnson Covid-19. However, the incidence is rare and the benefits of the vaccine still outweigh the risks. Everyone eligible must take the vaccine as they are our best chance to control this pandemic, which is showing no signs of stopping.

Reference

1. Ashrani AA, et al. Age- and sex-specific incidence of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis associated with Ad26.COV2.S COVID-19 vaccination. JAMA Intern Med. 2021 Nov 1. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.6352.