Racial/Ethnic Differences in Long-COVID-Associated Symptoms among Pediatrics Population: Findings from Difference-in-differences Analyses in RECOVER Program

Abstract

Racial/ethnic differences are associated with the potential symptoms and conditions of post-acute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) in adults. These differences may exist among children and warrant further exploration. We conducted a retrospective cohort study for children and adolescents under the age of 21 from the thirteen institutions in the RECOVER Initiative. The cohort is 225,723 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 diagnosis and 677,448 patients without SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 diagnosis between March 2020 and October 2022. The study compared minor racial/ethnic groups to Non-Hispanic White (NHW) individuals, stratified by severity during the acute phase of COVID-19. Within the severe group, Asian American/Pacific Islanders (AAPI) had a higher prevalence of fever/chills and respiratory symptoms, Hispanic patients showed greater hair loss prevalence in severe COVID-19 cases, while Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) patients had fewer skin symptoms in comparison to NHW patients. Within the non-severe group, AAPI patients had increased POTS/dysautonomia and respiratory symptoms, and NHB patients showed more cognitive symptoms than NHW patients. In conclusion, racial/ethnic differences related to COVID-19 exist among specific PASC symptoms and conditions in pediatrics, and these differences are associated with the severity of illness during acute COVID-19.