A population-based serological study of post-COVID syndrome prevalence and risk factors in children and adolescents
Roxane Dumont, Viviane Richard, Elsa Lorthe, Andrea Loizeau, Francesco Pennacchio, María-Eugenia Zaballa, Hélène Baysson, Mayssam Nehme, Anne Perrin, Arnaud G. L’Huillier, Laurent Kaiser, Rémy Barbe, Klara M. Posfay‐Barbe, Silvia Stringhini, SEROCoV-KIDS study group, Deborah Amrein, Andrew S. Azman, Antoine Bal, Michael Balavoine, Julie Berthelot, Patrick Bleich, Livia Boehm, Gaëlle Bryand, Viola Bucolli, Prune Collombet, Alain Cudet, Vladimir Davidović, Carlos de Mestral, Paola D’Ippolito, Richard Dubos, Isabella Eckerle, Marion Favier, Nacira El Merjani, Natalie Francioli, Clément Graindorge, Séverine Harnal, Samia Hurst, Omar Kherad, Julien Lamour, Pierre Lescuyer, Chantal Martinez, Stéphanie Mermet, Natacha Noël, Javier Perez‐Saez, Didier Pittet, Jane Portier, Géraldine Poulain, Caroline Pugin, Nick Pullen, Frederic Rinaldi, Jessica Rizzo, Déborah Rochat, Cyril Sahyoun, Irine Sakvarelidze, Khadija Samir, Hugo Alejandro Santa Ramirez, Stephanie Schrempft, Claire Semaani, Stéphanie Testini, Yvain Tisserand, Deborah Urrutia Rivas, Charlotte Verolet, Jennifer Villers, Guillemette Violot, Nicolas Vuilleumier, Sabine Yerly, Christina Zavlanou, Idris Guessous
Abstract
Post-COVID syndrome remains poorly studied in children and adolescents. Here, we aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of pediatric post-COVID in a population-based sample, stratifying by serological status. Children from the SEROCoV-KIDS cohort study (State of Geneva, Switzerland), aged 6 months to 17 years, were tested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 N antibodies (December 2021-February 2022) and parents filled in a questionnaire on persistent symptoms in their children (lasting over 12 weeks) compatible with post-COVID. Of 1034 children tested, 570 (55.1%) were seropositive. The sex- and age-adjusted prevalence of persistent symptoms among seropositive children was 9.1% (95%CI: 6.7;11.8) and 5.0% (95%CI: 3.0;7.1) among seronegatives, with an adjusted prevalence difference (ΔaPrev) of 4.1% (95%CI: 1.1;7.3). Stratifying per age group, only adolescents displayed a substantial risk of having post-COVID symptoms (ΔaPrev = 8.3%, 95%CI: 3.5;13.5). Identified risk factors for post-COVID syndrome were older age, having a lower socioeconomic status and suffering from chronic health conditions, especially asthma. Our findings show that a significant proportion of seropositive children, particularly adolescents, experienced persistent COVID symptoms. While there is a need for further investigations, growing evidence of pediatric post-COVID urges early screening and primary care management.