Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:Incidence estimates of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection, also known as long-COVID, have varied across studies and changed over time. We estimated long-COVID incidence among adult and pediatric populations in three nationwide research networks of electronic health records (EHR) participating in the RECOVER Initiative using different classification algorithms (computable phenotypes). METHODS:This EHR-based retrospective cohort study included adult and pediatric patients with documented acute SARS-CoV-2 infection and two control groups-- contemporary COVID-19 negative and historical patients (2019). We examined the proportion of individuals identified as having symptoms or conditions consistent with probable long-COVID within 30-180 days after COVID-19 infection (incidence proportion). Each network (the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C), National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network (PCORnet), and PEDSnet) implemented its own long-COVID definition. We introduced a harmonized definition for adults in a supplementary analysis. RESULTS:Overall, 4% of children and 10-26% of adults developed long-COVID, depending on computable phenotype used. Excess incidence among SARS-CoV-2 patients was 1.5% in children and ranged from 5-6% among adults, representing a lower-bound incidence estimation based on our control groups. Temporal patterns were consistent across networks, with peaks associated with introduction of new viral variants. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Our findings indicate that preventing and mitigating long-COVID remains a public health priority. Examining temporal patterns and risk factors of long-COVID incidence informs our understanding of etiology and can improve prevention and management.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:Children from racial and ethnic minority groups are at greater risk for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, but it is unclear whether they have increased risk for post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC). Our objectives were to assess whether the risk of respiratory and neurologic PASC differs by race/ethnicity and social drivers of health. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:We conducted a retrospective cohort study of individuals <21 years seeking care at 24 health systems across the U.S, using electronic health record (EHR) data. Our cohort included those with a positive SARS-CoV-2 molecular, serology or antigen test, or with a COVID-19, multisystem inflammatory disease in children, or PASC diagnosis from February 29, 2020 to August 1, 2022. We identified children/youth with at least 2 codes associated with respiratory and neurologic PASC. We measured associations between sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and respiratory and neurologic PASC using odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals estimated from multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for other sociodemographic characteristics, social vulnerability index or area deprivation index, time period of cohort entry, presence and complexity of chronic respiratory (respectively, neurologic) condition and healthcare utilization. FINDINGS/UNASSIGNED:Among 771,725 children in the cohort, 203,365 (26.3%) had SARS-CoV-2 infection. Among children with documented infection, 3217 children had respiratory PASC and 2009 children/youth had neurologic PASC. In logistic regression models, children <5 years (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.78, 95% CI 1.62-1.97), and of Hispanic White descent (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.05-1.35) had higher odds of having respiratory PASC. Children/youth living in regions with higher area deprivation indices (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.10-1.420 for 60-79th percentile) and with chronic complex respiratory conditions (OR 3.28, 95% CI 2.91-3.70) also had higher odds of respiratory PASC. In contrast, older (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.40-1.77 for those aged 12-17 years), non-Hispanic White individuals and those with chronic pre-existing neurologic conditions (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.78-2.35) were more likely to have a neurologic PASC diagnosis. INTERPRETATION/UNASSIGNED:Racial and ethnic differences in healthcare utilization for neurologic and respiratory PASC may reflect social drivers of health and inequities in access to care. FUNDING/UNASSIGNED:National Institutes of Health.

Case/Program Description: The patient is an 88-year-old woman with history of hysterectomy who was referred for evaluation of acute onset low back and buttock pain of 2 weeks duration without any reported provocation or injury. The pain was 4/10, intermittent, aching, exacerbated by walking, alleviated by resting, sitting, Tylenol and Advil. There were no associated fevers, chills, radicular symptoms, bowel or bladder dysfunction, reported changes in weight, prior or recent injections or instrumentation of the spine. Exam was notable for an antalgic gait, pain with end flexion and bilateral oblique extension, tenderness over paraspinal muscles and facet joints as well as the left sacroiliac joint and posterior superior iliac spine. Motor, sensory, and deep tendon reflexes were intact. Setting: Outpatient Spine Center. Results: Lumbar radiographs showed multilevel degenerative disc disease, spondylosis, and multilevel facet arthrosis. Patient was started on naproxen and referred to outpatient physical therapy. She presented for early follow up 11 days later, with increasing 7/10 pain radiating to left anterior thigh. Exam notable for new tenderness over anterior midthigh, positive left Ober test, reproduction of left anterior thigh pain with Ely test, mild weakness of left hip flexors and diminished left lower reflexes. Lumbar MRI showed left L3-4 facet joint abnormality, adjacent marrow edema, and soft tissue abscess of the multifidus and psoas muscles. She was emergently referred for inpatient admission, and required a prolonged hospitalization. Discussion: Psoas abscess is a rare infectious disease with nonspecific clinical presentation and often insidious onset that frequently results in diagnostic difficulty and delays. Delays are often associated with high morbidity and mortality in these patients. Conclusions: It is crucial to maintain a high index of suspicion for infectious etiologies and utilize a combination of laboratory and imaging studies when working up back pain