Data Resource Profile: the Children and Young People with Long COVID (CLoCk) Study
Manjula D. Nugawela, Snehal M. Pinto Pereira, Natalia Rojas, Kelsey McOwat, Ruth Simmons, Emma Dalrymple, Tamsin Ford, Shruti Garg, Dougal Hargreaves, Malcolm G. Semple, Laila Xu, Roz Shafran, Terence Stephenson, Marta Buszewicz, Trudie Chalder, Esther Crawley, Bianca De Stavola, Anthony Harnden, Isobel Heyman, Shamez Ladhani, Michael Levin, Vanessa Poustie, Terry Segal, Kishan Sharma, Olivia Swann, Elizabeth Whittaker
Abstract
Key Features: \nThe Children and Young People with Long COVID (CLoCk) study is a national matched prospective study which was set up with the aims of (i) describing the clinical phenotype of post-COVID symptomology in children and young people (CYP), (ii) producing a research definition for long COVID in CYP and (iii) establishing the prevalence of long COVID in CYP. \n \nIn total, 219 175 CYP aged 11–17 years, who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing between September 2020 and March 2021 in England, were invited to participate. Test-positive and test-negative CYP were matched at study invitation on month of test, age, sex and geographical region. \n \nCYP were enrolled into the study at 3, 6 or 12 months after their index PCR test (n = 31 012). Depending on when they enrolled, they were also invited to fill in follow-up questionnaires at 6, 12 and 24 months after their index test. The overall response rate was 14.1%, with retention across sweeps varying from 36.6% to 54.1%. \n \nThe dataset includes information on physical and mental health using validated scales over time, allowing for examination of within-individual change. CYP report symptoms themselves rather than relying on parental report or administrative records. \n \nRequests for access to the participant-level data from this study can be submitted via email to: [[email protected]].