To identify the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and potential associated factors of long COVID in children treated during the pandemic in a primary care unit, emphasizing the importance of understanding this condition in pediatric care.
Key Findings:
The prevalence of long COVID in the study population was 11.8% (95%CI 7.8%–17.5%).
Most frequent symptoms for 'persistence' included cough (50%) and rhinorrhea (15.4%).
Common symptoms for 'post-COVID conditions' included myalgia (33.3%), asthenia (26.7%), irritability (26.7%), and constipation (20%).
For children over 8 years, reinfection history (OR 9.7, 95%CI) and BMI (OR 1.1, 95%CI) were associated with long COVID; for those under 8 years, male sex (OR 4.7, 95%CI) was a significant factor.
Interpretation:
The study highlights the potential impact of reinfection and BMI on long COVID prevalence in older children, while male sex appears to be a risk factor in younger children, suggesting implications for healthcare practices.
Limitations:
Results are based on an exploratory analysis and should be interpreted with caution, considering potential biases in data collection.
The study's findings may not be generalizable beyond the specific population in Mexico.
Conclusion:
Approximately 12% of children and adolescents may be affected by long COVID, necessitating further research to understand and manage this condition, particularly through follow-up studies addressing identified gaps.
by Rosela Lucero Chipol-Ceja, Jaime Morales-Romero, Carlos Alonso Rivero-López, María del Sagario Pérez-Callejas, Geovani López-Ortiz, Luis Del Carpio-Orantes, Claudia Iveth Spinoso-Torres, Santiago González-Periañez, María de Jesús Rodríguez-Cordoba, Liliana Ovando-Diego, Jorge Iván Zurutuza-Lorméndez
