A 65-year-old man treated at West Penn Hospital died from what doctors believe to be an extremely rare blood clotting condition days after receiving the second dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
If confirmed by furthering testing, it would be the nation's first reported case of vaccine-induced thrombosis with thrombocytopenia (VITT) or thrombocytopenia with thrombosis syndrome (TTS) following an mRNA vaccine such as Moderna or Pfizer. The condition has previously been reported following the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
In a report in the Annals of Internal Medicine, Allegheny Health Network doctors say the man, who had chronic hypertension and hyperlipidemia, came to the hospital complaining of extremity discomfort, headaches and labored breathing ten days after he received the second Monderna shot.
He died days later.
"We were unable to identify other causes, including SAR-CoV-2 infection, other infections, immune thrombocytopenia or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura," the report said. "These findings fulfill the interim case definition of VITT or TTS from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Brighton Collaboration."
Doctors concluded the report by emphasizing this reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine is incredibly rare and should not stop people from getting it.
"In summary, we believe it is important to note that many millions of people have received COVID-19 vaccines that use mRNA technology. This is the only report to date of possible VITT or TTS in those recipients, and such a rare event, even if confirmed by additional reports, should not prevent persons from receiving the benefits of these vaccines."
Allegheny Health Network reported the case to the CDC, which released a statement.
"To date, one confirmed case of TTS following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination (Moderna) has been reported to VAERS after more than 306 million doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines administered in the United States. Based on available data, there is not an increased risk for TTS after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination."
An accompanying editorial by doctors from the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine says "extra caution is needed before attributing the patient's presentation to the mRNA-1273 vaccine."
Doctors in the editorial say more research on the cases is needed and raise questions over if the patient had any infections upon being admitted into the hospital.
In a statement to News Radio KDKA, the Allegheny County Health Department said they are aware of the case.
According to the CDC and FDA, and as was previously reported: There is a rare but increased risk for thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) from the Janssen vaccine. However, based on available data, there is not an increased risk for TTS after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. To date, around 300 million doses of mRNA vaccines have been administered, and this is the first case of TTS.
It is important to point out that getting COVID-19 itself is thousands of times more dangerous than getting vaccinated."
