Vaccine-induced Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT) is an extremely uncommon, but critical illness that got a lot of news and social media attention in the framework of vaccinations for COVID-19. This recently identified condition differs from other types of blood clotting problems as it’s brought about by the immune system’s response to the COVID-19 vaccination, most frequently Ad26.COV2.S (Johnson & Johnson) and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AstraZeneca). Both these vaccinations use adenoviral vectors (the mRNA vaccinations coming from Moderna, don’t employ that vector). Clinically it is very comparable to the autoimmune heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). Vaccine-induced Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia is thought to be due to the autoantibodies that happen to be directed towards platelet factor 4 which invokes platelets and results in thrombosis. The characteristic feature is most of these blood clots which are often cerebral or in the abdomen. VITT seems to happen in 4-6 individuals for every million vaccine dosages provided. The probability is less likely after the 2nd dose. The original death rate had been as high as 50% in individuals who had the VITT, but most do now get better when it is diagnosed promptly, and appropriate treatment started. There are no evident risk factors have yet been observed, but it does […] read more