Children and young adults who have lingering COVID-19 symptoms are more likely to develop chronic issues with their kidneys, guts and hearts, according to new research from the University of Pennsylvania.
Four related studies sought to examine overlooked impacts of long COVID — when symptoms of the infection last at least three months — on children and young adults. Young people typically have less severe outcomes from COVID-19 at the time of infection, potentially obscuring the lasting effects the coronavirus can have on the body.
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The researchers based their findings on an analysis of health records from 1.9 million people 21 and under. The studies looked at data between 2020-2023.
Young people who had COVID-19 were 17% more likely to develop chronic kidney disease at stage two or higher — usually indicating mild impact on kidney function — and 35% more likely to be diagnosed with chronic kidney disease at stage three or higher within two years of a COVID-19 infection.
Among people with pre-existing chronic kidney disease, those with past COVID-19 infections had a 15% higher risk of developing another kidney-related ailment — including major declines in filtration and the need for dialysis or kidney transplant. Those who had documented kidney injuries during their COVID-19 infections also had a 29% greater risk of kidney problems three to six months after infection.
People who had COVID-19 were 25% more likely to have at least one gastrointestinal symptom or disorder in the period immediately following infection, researchers found. Common issues included abdominal pain, diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome. They were 28% more likely to experience these problems between six months and two years after their infections.
Past COVID-19 infections also were linked to significantly higher risks of heart conditions. There was a 63% higher risk of developing issues like arrhythmias, heart inflammation, chest pain, palpitations and hypertension — both among people who were born with heart defects and those who had no pre-existing heart problems. People without congenital heart defects were nearly three times more likely to have heart inflammation if they had a prior COVID-19 infection.
Researchers also found racial and ethnic differences in the risks of young people developing organ problems and other lasting symptoms. Asian American and Pacific Islander youth had mildly higher rates of long COVID symptoms compared to white children and teens. Hispanic youth were more likely to experience hair loss after severe COVID-19 infections, and Black children and teens had comparatively lower risks of skin-related symptoms.
All of the studies were part of the National Institutes of Health’s RECOVER Initiative to better understand and treat long COVID. The NIH estimates long COVID has impacted as many as 23 million people in the United States. Pediatric long COVID is now considered more common than initially thought, affecting as many as 6 million kids.
One NIH-supported study found children and adolescents tend to experience different patterns of long COVID symptoms, and there has been a growing emphasis on studying the effects of ongoing vaccination in young people.
The Penn Medicine researchers said their studies point to the need for long-term evaluation of young people who have had COVID-19 infections.
“These findings underscore the fact that clinicians need to monitor pediatric patients for long COVID signs and symptoms — and need to be prepared to treat these conditions,” Yong Chen, the studies’ senior author, said in a press release.
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