This is good example of showmanship over science as @DrAseemMalhotra (Wakefield MK2) - exploits a mildly unclear headline and misdirects his eager following to a false conclusion - this an exemplar of misinformation techniques … a 🧵 … please share/ retweet as I expose them …
The article @eleanorhayward can be found here …
What @DrAseemMalhotra does is exploit a lack of clarity in the source - and debatable headline in otherwise accurate article ; ignoring the bigger picture , the concerning finding and broader research …
12ft.io
What @DrAseemMalhotra does is exploit a lack of clarity in the source - and debatable headline in otherwise accurate article ; ignoring the bigger picture , the concerning finding and broader research …
12ft.io
The source study mentioned by @zahra_raisi et al
Can be found here its a prospective analysis of 17 871 UK Biobank participants following covid19 infection
heart.bmj.com
Can be found here its a prospective analysis of 17 871 UK Biobank participants following covid19 infection
heart.bmj.com
It has a number of VERY IMPORTANT finding… none of which seem to concern @DrAseemMalhotra … Lets list them …
1: Covid 19 wad associated massive increase in ALL CAUSE MORTALITY - which was 35 x the baseline
1: Covid 19 wad associated massive increase in ALL CAUSE MORTALITY - which was 35 x the baseline
2: COVID was associated with a 4 to 5 x increase in cardiovascular disease and ischemic heart disease mortality.
Oops this has published early - bare with me for rest … there is lot to unpack here
It also showed a significant increase in stroke , atrial fibrillation and pericarditis - and a strong link to blood clots (VTE) that latter remained strong even in cases not hospitalised !
One the most striking findings was that ALL CAUSE mortality (10 x increase )was raised by a substantial margin even in cases that did not lead to a hospitalisation (which @DrAseemMalhotra likely mistakenly) takes as mild covid
In patients which so called “incidental covid 19”
admitted for “other primary diagnosis” - there were increases in stoke , heart attacks , atrial fibrillation , pericarditis and clot and all cause mortality !
admitted for “other primary diagnosis” - there were increases in stoke , heart attacks , atrial fibrillation , pericarditis and clot and all cause mortality !
Many covid minimisers - equate secondary “incidental” Covid as mild or not a problem …
The researcher in the paper do not define “mild covid”
Secondary covid appears to be an issue ..
The researcher in the paper do not define “mild covid”
Secondary covid appears to be an issue ..
“Participants with secondary COVID-19 hospitalisation (n=866) had increased risk of all incident outcomes compared with uninfected controls”
I do ask the authors @zahra_raisi is those controls were hospitalised controls … I digress
I do ask the authors @zahra_raisi is those controls were hospitalised controls … I digress
What @DrAseemMalhotra focuses on and implies heavily is that there were lower MI risks for non-hospitalised controls than cases …
The ONLY result he mentioned
This was true … BUT the explanation that the authors provide is not mentioned by Aseem to his audience
What was it ?
The ONLY result he mentioned
This was true … BUT the explanation that the authors provide is not mentioned by Aseem to his audience
What was it ?
Basically - if you had an MI (heart attack) while you had covid at home - you would be admitted FOR THE MI - go into the secondary hospitalised category ….
And that’s even over simplified due time at risk and undiagnosed covid in the controls …
And that’s even over simplified due time at risk and undiagnosed covid in the controls …
What is interesting is the VTE (clots) held as an increased risk in non-hospitalised patients this is likely because many VTE can be treated as an outpatient - whereas strokes and MI patients would likely be admitted
So the the insinuation that covid lowered the risk of heart attacks is of course bogus - assuming @DrAseemMalhotra read the paper which he implies - he must of deliberately skipped over the authors clear explanation for this.
The study the article refers too is not the only study that exists in the world and other pieces of research point to possible increased risk of MI in patients even with non -hospitalising acute covid.
It is certainly true that risk of VTE may be increased for months after infection with proclotting biomarkers elevated
H/t to the excellent @HelenFogarty14
H/t to the excellent @HelenFogarty14
Importantly - while clear data shows that covid vaccination improves acute outcomes from covid 19 - post acute sequalaie including cardiovascular outcomes appear to be improved by vaccination.
nature.com
nature.com
This thread is not over … #schoolrun
It’s interesting that @DrAseemMalhotra goes on to highlight the reasonable admitted limitations on the risk at longer follow up might not show the risk persists (though other groups showed prolonged increased risk … )
Though he does not hold himself to same standard
Though he does not hold himself to same standard
The double standard is here - he asserts without good evidence that vaccine caused increased and acceleration of coronary artery disease - and just assumes that this proposed effect (which has no basis in reality) last months /years …
The double standard that really scientists have to hedge and not exaggerate (at least they should) but those like @DrAseemMalhotra can make declarative statements - like below “without any doubt”
On that the 30,000 excess deaths figures - is significantly explained by 20,000 deaths by new cause early in pandemic which was COVID19 ↙️- I note that excess deaths do correlate tightly with covid deaths in generally ↘️- ie the main driver was COVID19 at least early on pandemic
And of course it’s only deaths where ischemic heart disease is mentioned that are increased - deaths where ihd is the primary driver are NOT INCREASED this alone should discredit his hypothesis
So in summary @DrAseemMalhotra exploited a debatably inaccurate headline in a otherwise well written article to steal the high ground and then and likely wilfully mislead his audience -whom won’t to read the source -once he has given them his credentialed but incorrect cliff note
Mea culpa for missing this - I did have it an earlier version of this thread but yes the headline was heart disease not heart attacks.
Jan 2021 to May 2022
Age adjuster Mortality per 100k PY
Unvaccinated 2337.5
Ever vaccinated 957.4
#VaccinesSaveLives
Age adjuster Mortality per 100k PY
Unvaccinated 2337.5
Ever vaccinated 957.4
#VaccinesSaveLives
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