Pediatric SARS-CoV-2 long term outcomes study (PECOS): cross sectional analysis at baseline.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric infectious diseases
• Longitudinal cohort studies
• COVID-19 outcomes

Background:

• The Pediatric COVID-19 Conquer Study (PECOS) investigates long-term outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children.
• Characterizing post-COVID-19 conditions in pediatric populations is crucial for understanding disease impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize long-term outcomes following pediatric SARS-CoV-2 infection.
• To compare symptoms, functional status, and quality of life between infected and uninfected children.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional analysis of infected and uninfected pediatric cohorts (0-21 years) at baseline.
• Data collection included demographics, medical history, symptoms, physical exams, cardiopulmonary evaluations, and validated psychological/developmental surveys.
• Primary outcomes involved comparing cohort abnormalities across all collected measures.

Main Results:

• Infected participants (n=541) reported more constitutional, HEENT, respiratory, and gastrointestinal symptoms compared to uninfected controls (n=113).
• Infected children experienced worse Patient Reported Outcomes in domains including Pain, Fatigue, Global Health, Physical and Cognitive functioning, Mobility, and Sleep disturbances.
• Cardiopulmonary findings were similar between infected and uninfected cohorts at baseline.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with increased symptom reporting and diminished quality of life.
• Longitudinal data from the PECOS study will enhance understanding of the long-term effects of COVID-19 in children, aiding in the identification of sequelae and contributing factors.