051 - Characteristics of Long COVID in the Pediatric Population

Publication Number: 51.4559

Mustafa K. Saidi, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, United States; Jeremy Silverstein, Maimonides Infants and Children's Hospital of Brooklyn, New York, NY, United States; Rabia Agha, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, United States; Tsoline Kojaoghlanian, Maimonides Infants and Children's Hospital of Brooklyn, NEW YORK, NY, United States

Background: While most individuals recover from acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, some experience a variety of symptoms that persist beyond the acute period, referred to as Long COVID. The prevalence of Long COVID in the pediatric population varies, ranging from 1% to 27%. There is ongoing research on long-term consequences of COVID-19, often affecting the quality of life of affected individuals. Data specific to the characteristics of Long COVID in the pediatric population is emerging.

Objective: Our study aims to evaluate Long COVID in children and adolescents to improve understanding of its prevalence, characteristics, and duration in that population.

Design/Methods: The COVID Recovery Program (CRP) at Maimonides Children's Hospital, a tertiary care center in an urban setting in New York, was created in September 2020. The CRP is a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic led by pediatric infectious diseases specialists, and was one of the first such programs nationwide to specifically evaluate children with COVID-19.
A retrospective chart review was conducted of children and adolescents 0-18 years of age evaluated in the CRP for Long COVID. The study period was from September 2020 to November 2022. Long COVID was defined as a lack of return to a usual state of health following acute COVID-19, including development of new or recurrent symptoms, that are present four or more weeks after infection with SARS-CoV-2 with no other plausible explanation. Onset, duration, severity, and other characteristics of suspected long COVID patients were collected for analysis. Evaluation is currently ongoing.

Results: We identified 49 patients with suspected Long COVID during our study period. The majority of affected children were male (57%). The average age was 13 years old. Only 20% were hospitalized for their acute COVID symptoms. The most common reported symptom was fatigue (80%), affecting patients’ school work and athletic stamina. Half of the patients had preexisting conditions, the most common of which was related to mental health disorders. Sub-specialist referrals were most commonly for chest pain. The majority of patients recovered almost fully during the study period.

Conclusion(s): There was a male predominance in our population, unlike most reported series. The majority of patients were not hospitalized during acute COVID, suggesting that severity of symptoms in adolescents during the acute phase of their infection does not increase the likelihood of long COVID. Unlike adults, most teens seemed to do well over time. Further analysis is ongoing in our cohort.