CMR Imaging 6 Months After Myocarditis Associated with the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine.

Temporal association between BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and myocarditis (PCVM) has been reported. We herein present early and 6-month clinical follow-up and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) of patients with PVCM. A retrospective collection of data from 15 patients with PCVM and abnormal CMR was performed. Clinical manifestation, laboratory data, hospitalizations, treatment protocols, and imaging studies were collected early (up to 2 months) and later. In nine patients, an additional CMR evaluation was performed 6 months after diagnosis. PCVM was diagnosed in 15 patients, mean age 17 ± 1 (median 17.2, range 14.9-19 years) years, predominantly in males. Mean time from vaccination to onset of symptoms was 4.4 ± 6.7 (median 3, range 0-28) days. All patients had CMR post diagnosis at 4 ± 3 (median 3, range 1-9) weeks, 4/5 patients had hyper enhancement on the T2 sequences representing edemaQuery, and 12 pathological Late glandolinium enhancement. A repeat scan performed after 5-6 months was positive for scar formation in 7/9 patients. PCVM is a rare complication, affecting predominantly males and appearing usually within the first week after administration of the second dose of the vaccine. It usually is a mild disease, with clinical resolution with anti-inflammatory treatment. Late CMR follow up demonstrated resolution of the edema in all patients, while some had evidence of residual myocardial scarring.

Using the Rochester criteria to evaluate infantile fever is more effective in males than females.

AIM: The reliability of low-risk and high-risk criteria in evaluating febrile infants aged up to 60 days has been well documented. The aim of this study was to evaluate gender differences in the reliability of these criteria in order to exclude serious bacterial infection (SBI) in febrile infants. METHODS: This study used the Rochester risk criteria, the study group was divided into low- or high-risk status for SBI, and the data were stratified by gender. SBI was defined as a urinary tract infection, bacteraemia, meningitis or bacterial enteritis. RESULTS: We enrolled 1896 infants (58.3% males), and SBIs were found in 10.6% of the males and 8% of the females (p = 0.21). The sensitivity of the risk criteria was 91.5% for the males and 73.4% (p < 0.05) for the females, and the positive likelihood ratio was 2.64 in the males versus 2.14 in the females (p < 0.001). A multivariable analysis showed that high-risk male patients were more than two times more likely to develop a bacterial infection than high-risk females. CONCLUSION: The Rochester risk criteria had a significantly higher sensitivity and positive likelihood ratio in males. Our findings suggest that clinicians should take gender into account when evaluating febrile infants.