Dynamic effects of COVID-19 vaccination on major acute cardiovascular events and mortality following SARS-CoV-2 infection in a target trial emulation study

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic presents significant health challenges, including increased risk of mortality and long-term complications. While vaccination has proven remarkably effective in mitigating severe disease and mortality associated with acute COVID-19 infection, the long-term implications...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Tatjana Meister, Ülo Maiväli, Kaur Tenson, Anna Tisler, Ruth Kalda, Kadri Suija, Anneli Uusküla
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13043-x
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849235084252545024
author Tatjana Meister
Ülo Maiväli
Kaur Tenson
Anna Tisler
Ruth Kalda
Kadri Suija
Anneli Uusküla
author_facet Tatjana Meister
Ülo Maiväli
Kaur Tenson
Anna Tisler
Ruth Kalda
Kadri Suija
Anneli Uusküla
author_sort Tatjana Meister
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic presents significant health challenges, including increased risk of mortality and long-term complications. While vaccination has proven remarkably effective in mitigating severe disease and mortality associated with acute COVID-19 infection, the long-term implications of vaccination, particularly its influence on post-COVID cardiovascular events and the temporal dynamics of such effects, remain poorly understood. This target trial emulation study utilizes real-world electronic medical record data from April 2021 to March 2023 to address this gap. We evaluate the effect of pre-infection COVID-19 vaccination on the risk of major acute cardiovascular events (MACE) and all-cause mortality in individuals aged 40–85 years during one year after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Among individuals with COVID-19 (n = 18,223 vaccinated, n = 15,331 not vaccinated), vaccination provided a significant protective effect against MACE (weighted incidence rate ratio [wIRR] 0.71, 95% CI 0.58–0.84) and all-cause mortality (wIRR 0.32, 95% CI 0.28–0.36). This effect persisted for approximately three months after the acute infection. These findings underscore the importance of COVID-19 vaccination in reducing both short-term and long-term health risks associated with the infection.
format Article
id doaj-art-6cf9c4de3f8f4787a338627e50d735e7
institution Kabale University
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-6cf9c4de3f8f4787a338627e50d735e72025-08-20T04:02:55ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-13043-xDynamic effects of COVID-19 vaccination on major acute cardiovascular events and mortality following SARS-CoV-2 infection in a target trial emulation studyTatjana Meister0Ülo Maiväli1Kaur Tenson2Anna Tisler3Ruth Kalda4Kadri Suija5Anneli Uusküla6Institute of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of TartuInstitute of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of TartuInstitute of Mathematical Statistics, University of TartuInstitute of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of TartuInstitute of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of TartuInstitute of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of TartuInstitute of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of TartuAbstract The COVID-19 pandemic presents significant health challenges, including increased risk of mortality and long-term complications. While vaccination has proven remarkably effective in mitigating severe disease and mortality associated with acute COVID-19 infection, the long-term implications of vaccination, particularly its influence on post-COVID cardiovascular events and the temporal dynamics of such effects, remain poorly understood. This target trial emulation study utilizes real-world electronic medical record data from April 2021 to March 2023 to address this gap. We evaluate the effect of pre-infection COVID-19 vaccination on the risk of major acute cardiovascular events (MACE) and all-cause mortality in individuals aged 40–85 years during one year after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Among individuals with COVID-19 (n = 18,223 vaccinated, n = 15,331 not vaccinated), vaccination provided a significant protective effect against MACE (weighted incidence rate ratio [wIRR] 0.71, 95% CI 0.58–0.84) and all-cause mortality (wIRR 0.32, 95% CI 0.28–0.36). This effect persisted for approximately three months after the acute infection. These findings underscore the importance of COVID-19 vaccination in reducing both short-term and long-term health risks associated with the infection.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13043-xCOVID-19VaccinationDeathMortalityLong COVIDPACS
spellingShingle Tatjana Meister
Ülo Maiväli
Kaur Tenson
Anna Tisler
Ruth Kalda
Kadri Suija
Anneli Uusküla
Dynamic effects of COVID-19 vaccination on major acute cardiovascular events and mortality following SARS-CoV-2 infection in a target trial emulation study
Scientific Reports
COVID-19
Vaccination
Death
Mortality
Long COVID
PACS
title Dynamic effects of COVID-19 vaccination on major acute cardiovascular events and mortality following SARS-CoV-2 infection in a target trial emulation study
title_full Dynamic effects of COVID-19 vaccination on major acute cardiovascular events and mortality following SARS-CoV-2 infection in a target trial emulation study
title_fullStr Dynamic effects of COVID-19 vaccination on major acute cardiovascular events and mortality following SARS-CoV-2 infection in a target trial emulation study
title_full_unstemmed Dynamic effects of COVID-19 vaccination on major acute cardiovascular events and mortality following SARS-CoV-2 infection in a target trial emulation study
title_short Dynamic effects of COVID-19 vaccination on major acute cardiovascular events and mortality following SARS-CoV-2 infection in a target trial emulation study
title_sort dynamic effects of covid 19 vaccination on major acute cardiovascular events and mortality following sars cov 2 infection in a target trial emulation study
topic COVID-19
Vaccination
Death
Mortality
Long COVID
PACS
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13043-x
work_keys_str_mv AT tatjanameister dynamiceffectsofcovid19vaccinationonmajoracutecardiovasculareventsandmortalityfollowingsarscov2infectioninatargettrialemulationstudy
AT ulomaivali dynamiceffectsofcovid19vaccinationonmajoracutecardiovasculareventsandmortalityfollowingsarscov2infectioninatargettrialemulationstudy
AT kaurtenson dynamiceffectsofcovid19vaccinationonmajoracutecardiovasculareventsandmortalityfollowingsarscov2infectioninatargettrialemulationstudy
AT annatisler dynamiceffectsofcovid19vaccinationonmajoracutecardiovasculareventsandmortalityfollowingsarscov2infectioninatargettrialemulationstudy
AT ruthkalda dynamiceffectsofcovid19vaccinationonmajoracutecardiovasculareventsandmortalityfollowingsarscov2infectioninatargettrialemulationstudy
AT kadrisuija dynamiceffectsofcovid19vaccinationonmajoracutecardiovasculareventsandmortalityfollowingsarscov2infectioninatargettrialemulationstudy
AT anneliuuskula dynamiceffectsofcovid19vaccinationonmajoracutecardiovasculareventsandmortalityfollowingsarscov2infectioninatargettrialemulationstudy