Safety of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine in the Elderly

Abstract

Background. COVID-19 is an infectious viral disease that has affected more than 234 million people and has caused almost 4.8 million deaths worldwide. A patient's age is the most important factor influencing the risk of severe course of the disease. The elderly usually suffer from many ailments, and therefore, polypharmacy is a common phenomenon among them. Our paper presents the initial results of the analysis of adverse effects in the group of older people in the context of participants' pharmacotherapy. Methods. The information concerning post-vaccination adverse effects, COVID-19 in the past and current pharmacotherapy was collected from 200 people aged 60 years or older. Statistical analysis was performed using StatSoft Statistica 13.1 software. Results. Twenty-three participants reported adverse effects after vaccination. Statistical analysis of groups with and without adverse effects revealed significant differences in age, cardiovascular drugs, neurological and psychiatric drugs, analgesics, gastrointestinal drugs, supplements, and vitamins. Conclusions. Obtained results suggest the need to study the potential effect of ongoing pharmacotherapy on the safety and effectiveness of vaccination.

Effectiveness of molnupiravir for treating COVID-19 in patients with psychiatric disorders

“…Notably, this study focuses on patients with psychiatric disorders, a demographic often underrepresented in clinical research, thereby expanding the treatment spectrum of molnupiravir. Previous research by Korzeniowska et al (2023) indicated that individuals with psychiatric disorders face higher risks of severe COVID-19 outcomes, making our findings particularly relevant. By demonstrating the safety and efficacy of molnupiravir in this specific high-risk group, our study endorses its use and advocates for more inclusive treatment protocols.…”