Article type
Abstract
Background: Vaccinating children against COVID-19 presents scientific, ethical, and social challenges. Evidence-based decision-making provides crucial information to healthcare professionals, parents, and caregivers regarding vaccine side effects, ensuring comprehensive understanding.
Objectives: To identify solicited side effects of COVID-19 vaccines in pediatric patients and explore their correlation with vaccine doses.
Methods: We conducted searches on PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus without language or data restrictions. We included randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials involving healthy subjects aged 0 to 17 years, comparing various COVID-19 vaccines to placebos or other vaccines. The authors declare no conflicts of interest, and there was no public involvement in this work.
Results: Nineteen articles met inclusion criteria, with 15 conducting meta-analyses comparing COVID-19 vaccines to controls. Two studies explored combined vaccine regimens, involving 31,890 participants aged six months to 17 years (Figure 1). Findings revealed higher local pain risk among NOVAVAX recipients after the first dose, while AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines showed lower risk for certain side effects. CORBEVAX and NOVAVAX increased axillary sensitivity/swelling risk, with systemic side effects more common in controls. Myalgia decreased after second doses of CORBEVAX, NOVAVAX, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines induced various side effects, notably after the first dose, which increased with the second.
Conclusions: Despite technological differences, COVID-19 vaccines demonstrated safety with mild and temporary side effects. Vaccine selection should consider local availability, health guidelines, and individual preferences. Continued vaccination efforts are crucial to adapt to emerging virus variants.
Objectives: To identify solicited side effects of COVID-19 vaccines in pediatric patients and explore their correlation with vaccine doses.
Methods: We conducted searches on PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus without language or data restrictions. We included randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials involving healthy subjects aged 0 to 17 years, comparing various COVID-19 vaccines to placebos or other vaccines. The authors declare no conflicts of interest, and there was no public involvement in this work.
Results: Nineteen articles met inclusion criteria, with 15 conducting meta-analyses comparing COVID-19 vaccines to controls. Two studies explored combined vaccine regimens, involving 31,890 participants aged six months to 17 years (Figure 1). Findings revealed higher local pain risk among NOVAVAX recipients after the first dose, while AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines showed lower risk for certain side effects. CORBEVAX and NOVAVAX increased axillary sensitivity/swelling risk, with systemic side effects more common in controls. Myalgia decreased after second doses of CORBEVAX, NOVAVAX, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines induced various side effects, notably after the first dose, which increased with the second.
Conclusions: Despite technological differences, COVID-19 vaccines demonstrated safety with mild and temporary side effects. Vaccine selection should consider local availability, health guidelines, and individual preferences. Continued vaccination efforts are crucial to adapt to emerging virus variants.