Clinical Features and Vaccination Effects among Children with Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 in Taiwan

• Published in: Vaccines (Basel) 2024-08, Vol.12 (8), p.910
• Main Authors: Hsu, Yu-Lung, Chen, Pei-Chi, Tsai, Yi-Fen, Wei, Chi-Hung, Wu, Lawrence Shi-Hsin, Hsieh, Kai-Sheng, Hsieh, Miao-Hsi, Lai, Huan-Cheng, Lin, Chien-Heng, Lin, Hsiao-Chuan, Chen, Chieh-Ho, Chen, An-Chyi, Lin, Hung-Chih, Chou, I-Ching, Soong, Wen-Jue, Hwang, Kao-Pin, Lu, Henry Horng-Shing, Pawankar, Ruby, Tsai, Hui-Ju, Wang, Jiu-Yao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age groups; Children; Complications; Coronaviruses; Cough; COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccines; Dehydrogenases; Demographics; Diarrhea; Disease transmission; Dyspnea; Gastrointestinal symptoms; Headache; Infections; Pandemics; post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Regression models; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Sneezing; Sputum; Statistical analysis; Vaccination; Viral diseases
• ISSN: 2076-393X; 2076-393X
• DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12080910

Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) affects patients after recovering from acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study investigates the impact of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on PASC symptoms in children in Taiwan during the Omicron pandemic. We enrolled children under 18 years with PASC symptoms persisting for more than 4 weeks. Data collected included demographics, clinical information, vaccination status, and symptom persistence. We used logistic regression models to compare symptoms in the acute and post-COVID-19 phases and to assess the association between vaccination and these symptoms. Among 500 PASC children, 292 (58.4%) were vaccinated, 282 (52.8%) were male, and the mean (SD) age was 7.6 (4.6) years. Vaccinated individuals exhibited higher odds of experiencing symptoms in the previous acute phase, such as cough (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.57; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-2.42), rhinorrhea/nasal congestion (AOR = 1.74; 95% CI: 1.13-2.67), sneezing (AOR = 1.68; 95% CI: 1.02-2.76), sputum production (AOR = 1.91; 95% CI: 1.15-3.19), headache/dizziness (AOR = 1.73; 95% CI: 1.04-2.87), and muscle soreness (AOR = 2.33; 95% CI: 1.13-4.80). In contrast, there were lower odds of experiencing abdominal pain (AOR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.25-0.94) and diarrhea (AOR = 0.37; 95% CI: 0.17-0.78) in children who had received vaccination during the post-COVID-19 phase. This study revealed clinical features and vaccination effects in PASC children in Taiwan. Vaccination may reduce some gastrointestinal symptoms in the post-COVID-19 phase.