Reprinted from TRIAL SITE NEWS - Large Population Study Finds COVID-19 MRNA Vaccines Associate with Troubling Rate of Alzheimer’s Disease

Physician-scientist Jee Hoon Roh, MD, PhD, with Korea University College of Medicine in Seoul and colleagues investigated COVID-19 vaccine side effects with an eye on any links to Alzheimer’s disease. Enter the team’s nationwide retrospective study, designed to investigate any association between COVID-19 vaccination and the onset of the neurodegenerative disorder and its early signals, mild cognitive impairment. Tapping into and leveraging data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service, the Seoul-based investigators analyzed data from a random 50% sample of city residents aged 65 years and up. Equating 558,017 study subjects, the study team divided individuals into vaccinated and unvaccinated cohorts. Individuals in the vaccinated cohort residing in Korea’s largest city, Seoul, were immunized with either mRNA or cDNA vaccines. Study endpoints considered Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment diagnosis in post-vaccinated populations, pinpointed via ICD-10 codes. Study outcomes were derived from application of multivariable logistics as well as Cox regression analyses while patients with vascular dementia or Parkinson’s disease were included as controls. The study outcomes raise significant concerns, to say the least.  Preliminary evidence points to a “potential link between COVID-19 vaccination, particularly mRNA vaccines, and increased incidence of both Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment." Not surprisingly, the Korean investigators call for more research to verify the signals identified in this observational study. Of specific interest would be further elucidation of any relationships between vaccine-induced responses and neurodegenerative processes while investing in ongoing monitoring and study into especially mRNA vaccine long-term neurological impacts.

While this observational study has limitations—it is not designed to prove causation, the findings here raise significant questions and a need for urgent attention. TrialSite notes that the peer-reviewed journal including this study has an impact factor of 14.04, considered quite high.

Jee Hoon Roh, MD, PhD, Principal Investigator

Findings

Dr. Roh and colleagues report in QJM, an International Journal of Medicine some troubling findings. Results showed an increased incidence of both mild cognizant impairment and Alzheimer’s disease in vaccinated individuals, more so troublingly, in the mRNA vaccines within three months post-vaccination.

According to Dr. Roh and the team:

“The mRNA vaccine group exhibited a significantly higher incidence of Alzheimer’s disease (Odds Ratio [OR]; 1,225; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]; 1.025-1.464; p=0.026) and mild cognizant impairment (OR: 2.377; CI: 1.845-3.064; p < 0.001) compared to the unvaccinated group.”

Study Summary

Source: QJM, an International Journal of Medicine

The authors’ analyses could not detect a significant link between the controls. TrialSite has reached out to the authors via email to delve further into possible mechanisms of action.

Limitations

Observational studies such as this one are not designed to prove causation. Hence while an association is demonstrated, more well designed studies are necessary. But TrialSite notes this outcome raises some disturbing questions that should not be ignored.

Lead Research/Investigator

  • Jee Hoon Roh, MD, PhD, with Korea University College of Medicine in Seoul, Department of Biomedical Sciences; Corresponding Author

  • Inha Jung, Korea University College of Medicine in Seoul, Department of Biomedical Sciences; Department of Physiology

  • Yunsun Suh, Korea University College of Medicine in Seoul, Department of Biomedical Sciences; Department of Physiology; Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University

  • Min-Ho Kim, PhD, Ewha Womans University, Information Department, Seoul Hospital

Call to Action: Note, this study does not prove that mRNA vaccines cause Alzheimer’s disease/dementia; this class of study only can find an association. More research is necessary, but the topic should not be ignored.

Korea University Department of Medicine

https://www.trialsitenews.com/a/large-population-study-finds-covid-19-mrna-vaccines-associate-with-troubling-rate-of-alzheimers-disease-f514b6bf