New Delhi: A year-long autopsy-based study conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, has found no scientific evidence to suggest that COVID-19 vaccination is linked to sudden deaths among young adults, reinforcing the safety of vaccines, researchers said.
The study, published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research, examined sudden deaths among individuals aged 18 to 45 and found no statistically significant association between vaccination status and mortality.
Researchers said underlying coronary artery disease emerged as the leading cause of sudden death in the younger population, followed by respiratory and other non-cardiac conditions.
Titled Burden of Sudden Death in Young Adults: A One-Year Observational Study at a Tertiary Care Centre in India, the research was carried out by a multidisciplinary team from the departments of Pathology and Forensic Medicine and Toxicology at AIIMS between May 2023 and April 2024.
The investigation involved detailed assessments using verbal autopsies, post-mortem imaging, conventional autopsies and histopathological examinations.
Information on medical history, COVID-19 infection, vaccination status, lifestyle habits and substance use was collected from relatives of the deceased with informed consent.
All autopsies were conducted within 48 hours of death.
Researchers analysed 180 cases that met the criteria for sudden death out of 2,214 autopsies conducted during the study period.
Of these, 103 cases involved young adults aged 18–45, while 77 were aged between 46 and 65.
Sudden deaths among young adults accounted for 4.7 per cent of all autopsied cases.
After exclusions due to tissue decomposition, 94 young and 68 older cases were included in the final analysis.
The study found that cardiovascular causes, particularly coronary artery disease, accounted for the majority of deaths in young adults, a trend described as concerning and underreported in the Indian context.
Respiratory illnesses, including pneumonia and tuberculosis, were also significant contributors.
Among older adults, coronary artery disease remained the most common cause of sudden death, consistent with global patterns.
Researchers noted that COVID-19 infection history and vaccination status were similar across younger and older age groups, further ruling out any causal relationship between vaccination and sudden death.
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The findings align with global scientific evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines.
Professor Sudheer Arava of AIIMS said the study assumes importance amid the circulation of unverified claims linking vaccination to sudden deaths.
He emphasised that the findings do not support such assertions and called for public discourse to be guided by scientific evidence rather than misinformation.
Health experts involved in the study said sudden deaths in young individuals are often linked to undiagnosed medical conditions, particularly heart disease, underscoring the need for early screening, lifestyle interventions and timely medical care.
They advised the public to rely on credible scientific sources to avoid erosion of trust in established public health measures.
