Covid-19 vaccination did not increase the risk of unexplained sudden deaths among young adults in India, concluded comprehensive study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Tuesday.
The research, published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research, showed that lifestyle factors such as current smoking status, alcohol use frequency, recent binge drinking, recreational drug/substance use and vigorous-intensity activity were associated with unexplained sudden death.
As compared to never users, the more the frequency of alcohol use, the higher was the odds for unexplained sudden death.
The research body undertook a multicentric matched case–control study in view of anecdotal reports of sudden unexplained deaths in India’s apparently healthy young adults, linking to Covid-19 infection or vaccination.
The researchers determined the factors associated with such deaths in individuals aged 18-45 years from 47 tertiary care hospitals across India.
At least 729 cases and 2,916 controls were included in the analysis.
The cases were apparently healthy individuals without any known co-morbidity, who suddenly (before 24 h of hospitalisation or seen apparently healthy 24 h before death) died of unexplained causes between October 1, 2021 and March 31, 2023.
"Covid-19 vaccination did not increase the risk of unexplained sudden death among young adults in India," revealed the researchers.
Instead "past Covid-19 hospitalisation, family history of sudden death and certain lifestyle behaviours increased the likelihood of unexplained sudden death", they added in the paper.
The study also showed that taking at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine lowered the oddsfor unexplained sudden death.
Patients with unexplained sudden death were four times more likely to have had been hospitalised for Covid.
"Our findings did not indicate any evidence of positive association of unexplained sudden death with Covid-19 vaccination. However, a history of sudden death in the family, Covid-19 hospitalisation and certain high risk behavioural factors were positively associated with unexplained sudden death among young Indians," the researchers said.
"On the contrary, the present study documents that Covid-19 vaccination indeed reduced the risk of unexplained sudden death in this age group."
Civil Aviation Ministry issues strict instructions to DGCA to enforce chopper safety
In the wake of a tragic helicopter crash in the Gaurikund area of Uttarakhand, the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Sunday issued strict instructions to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to enforce all safety protocols related to chopper operations in hilly and sensitive areas like the Kedarnath valley.
‘Harming Indians will invite punishment’, HM Shah on Op Sindoor
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday that through the anti-terror Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent a strong message across the world that the bloodshed of Indians will invite punishment.
Dassault CEO trashes Pakistan's claims on downing Rafale jets
Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier has dismissed as "factually incorrect" Pakistan’s claims about having shot down three Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force during Operation Sindoor.
Tripura BJP stages protest over vandalism at Tagore's ancestral home in B'desh
Ruling BJP in Tripura on Saturday staged state-wide protests along the Bangladesh border, protesting the recent attack and vandalism of the ancestral home of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in the neighbouring country.
Two new earthworm species unearthed in Tripura
In a major breakthrough for ecological science in Northeast India, two new species of earthworms—Kanchuria tripuraensis and Kanchuria priyasankari—have been formally identified in Tripura.
CM calls for mass awareness on voluntary blood donation
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha today urged to create massive awareness campaigns about the benefits of voluntary blood donation to encourage more people to donate blood.
Tripura has begun experimental soilless hydroponic farming: Minister
The Tripura government has experimentally started the hydroponics method of cultivation without any soil, the state’s agriculture minister Ratan Lal Nath said here on Friday.
Assam Rifles seized cannabis worth Rs 30 lakh from Tripura
In a swift and decisive operation against narcotics smuggling, Assam Rifles, in close coordination with representatives of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), successfully seized approximately 195 kg of marijuana from the general area of Taranagar, Agartala during the early hours of 12 June.