Table 3.
Sex-related differences in local or systemic side effects in participants following the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (Coronavirus Modified Uridine RNA Vaccine, BNT162b2, Comirnaty).
| Side effect | Female, n (%) n = 746 | Male, n (%) n = 237 | P value | Odds ratio (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 596 (79.9) | 161 (67.9) | <0.001 | 1.88 (1.35–2.60) |
| Grade 3 | 108 (18.1) | 20 (12.4) | 0.015 | 1.84 (1.11–3.03) |
| Fever (>37.5 °C) | 23 (3.1) | 6 (2.5) | 0.827 | 1.23 (0.49–3.05) |
| General fatigue | 219 (29.4) | 32 (13.5) | <0.001 | 2.66 (1.78–3.99) |
| Muscle pain | 375 (50.3) | 38 (16.0) | <0.001 | 5.29 (3.64–7.71) |
| Joint pain | 82 (11.0) | 10 (4.2) | 0.001 | 2.80 (1.43–5.50) |
| Allergic reaction | 9 (1.2) | 4 (1.7) | 0.526 | 0.71 (0.22–2.33) |
| Injection site pain | 491 (65.8) | 59 (24.9) | <0.001 | 5.81 (4.17–8.09) |
| Injection site swelling | 175 (23.5) | 9 (3.8) | <0.001 | 7.76 (3.90–15.44) |
| Headache | 129 (17.3) | 20 (8.4) | <0.001 | 2.25 (1.37–3.69) |
| Nausea | 42 (5.6) | 2 (0.8) | <0.001 | 7.01 (1.68–29.19) |
| Diarrhea | 28 (3.8) | 4 (1.7) | 0.143 | 2.27 (0.79–6.55) |
| Others | 78 (10.5) | 8 (3.4) | <0.001 | 3.34 (1.59–7.03) |
Others: hypertension, oropharyngeal pain, dizziness, lymph node swelling, and drowsiness.
Data are presented as numbers (percentages).
Differences between the groups were compared using Fisher exact tests.
CI, confidence interval; COVID-19, coronavirus disease.