Prevalence and co-occurrence of cognitive impairment in children and young people up to 12-months post infection with SARS-CoV-2 (Omicron variant)

for the CLoCk Consortium

doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2024.05.001

Prevalence and co-occurrence of cognitive impairment in children and young people up to 12-months post infection with SARS-CoV-2 (Omicron variant)

for the CLoCk Consortium

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Cognitive impairment is often reported after SARS-CoV-2 infection, yet evidence gaps remain. We aimed to (i) report the prevalence and characteristics of children and young people (CYP) reporting “brain fog” (i.e., cognitive impairment) 12-months post PCR-proven SARS-CoV-2 infection and determine whether differences by infection status exist and (ii) explore the prevalence of CYP experiencing cognitive impairment over a 12-month period post-infection and investigate the relationship between cognitive impairment and poor mental health and well-being, mental fatigue and sleep problems. Methods: The Omicron CLoCk sub-study, set up in January 2022, collected data on first-time PCR-test-positive and PCR-proven reinfected CYP at time of testing and at 3-, 6- and 12-months post-testing. We describe the prevalence of cognitive impairment at 12-months, indicating when it was first reported. We characterise CYP experiencing cognitive impairment and use chi-squared tests to determine whether cognitive impairment prevalence varied by infection status. We explore the relationship between cognitive impairment and poor mental health and well-being, mental fatigue and trouble sleeping using validated scales. We examine associations at 3-, 6- and 12-months post-testing by infection status using Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests. Results: At 12-months post-testing, 7.0 % (24/345) of first-positives and 7.5 % (27/360) of reinfected CYP experienced cognitive impairment with no difference between infection-status groups (p = 0.78). The majority of these CYP experienced cognitive impairment for the first time at either time of testing or 3-months post-test (no difference between the infection-status groups; p = 0.60). 70.8 % of first-positives experiencing cognitive impairment at 12-months, were 15-to-17-years-old as were 33.3 % of reinfected CYP experiencing cognitive impairment (p < 0.01). Consistently at all time points post-testing, CYP experiencing cognitive impairment were more likely to score higher on all Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire subscales, higher on the Chalder Fatigue sub-scale for mental fatigue, lower on the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale and report more trouble sleeping. Conclusions: CYP have a fluctuating experience of cognitive impairment by 12-months post SARS-CoV-2-infection. Cognitive impairment is consistently correlated with poorer sleep, behavioural and emotional functioning over a 12-month period. Clinicians should be aware of cognitive impairment post-infection and its co-occurring nature with poorer sleep, behavioural and mental health symptoms.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	989-994
Number of pages	6
Journal	Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
Volume	119
Early online date	20 May 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2024.05.001
Publication status	Published - Jul 2024

Keywords

Brain fog
Children
Cognitive impairment
long Covid
Omicron
Post Covid-19 condition
Prospective
Young people

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.bbi.2024.05.001Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{0f38979aec5640ad895e6574cabc8849,

title = "Prevalence and co-occurrence of cognitive impairment in children and young people up to 12-months post infection with SARS-CoV-2 (Omicron variant)",

abstract = "Background: Cognitive impairment is often reported after SARS-CoV-2 infection, yet evidence gaps remain. We aimed to (i) report the prevalence and characteristics of children and young people (CYP) reporting “brain fog” (i.e., cognitive impairment) 12-months post PCR-proven SARS-CoV-2 infection and determine whether differences by infection status exist and (ii) explore the prevalence of CYP experiencing cognitive impairment over a 12-month period post-infection and investigate the relationship between cognitive impairment and poor mental health and well-being, mental fatigue and sleep problems. Methods: The Omicron CLoCk sub-study, set up in January 2022, collected data on first-time PCR-test-positive and PCR-proven reinfected CYP at time of testing and at 3-, 6- and 12-months post-testing. We describe the prevalence of cognitive impairment at 12-months, indicating when it was first reported. We characterise CYP experiencing cognitive impairment and use chi-squared tests to determine whether cognitive impairment prevalence varied by infection status. We explore the relationship between cognitive impairment and poor mental health and well-being, mental fatigue and trouble sleeping using validated scales. We examine associations at 3-, 6- and 12-months post-testing by infection status using Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests. Results: At 12-months post-testing, 7.0 % (24/345) of first-positives and 7.5 % (27/360) of reinfected CYP experienced cognitive impairment with no difference between infection-status groups (p = 0.78). The majority of these CYP experienced cognitive impairment for the first time at either time of testing or 3-months post-test (no difference between the infection-status groups; p = 0.60). 70.8 % of first-positives experiencing cognitive impairment at 12-months, were 15-to-17-years-old as were 33.3 % of reinfected CYP experiencing cognitive impairment (p < 0.01). Consistently at all time points post-testing, CYP experiencing cognitive impairment were more likely to score higher on all Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire subscales, higher on the Chalder Fatigue sub-scale for mental fatigue, lower on the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale and report more trouble sleeping. Conclusions: CYP have a fluctuating experience of cognitive impairment by 12-months post SARS-CoV-2-infection. Cognitive impairment is consistently correlated with poorer sleep, behavioural and emotional functioning over a 12-month period. Clinicians should be aware of cognitive impairment post-infection and its co-occurring nature with poorer sleep, behavioural and mental health symptoms.",

keywords = "Brain fog, Children, Cognitive impairment, long Covid, Omicron, Post Covid-19 condition, Prospective, Young people",

author = "{for the CLoCk Consortium} and Paul Foret-Bruno and Roz Shafran and Terence Stephenson and Nugawela, {Manjula D.} and Dennis Chan and Shamez Ladhani and Kelsey McOwat and Anna Mensah and Ruth Simmons and {Fox Smith}, Lana and Ana{\"i}s D'oelsnitz and Laila Xu and Emma Dalrymple and Isobel Heyman and Tamsin Ford and Terry Segal and Trudie Chalder and Natalia Rojas and {Pinto Pereira}, {Snehal M.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 The Author(s)",

year = "2024",

month = jul,

doi = "10.1016/j.bbi.2024.05.001",

language = "English",

volume = "119",

pages = "989--994",

journal = "Brain, Behavior, and Immunity",

issn = "0889-1591",

publisher = "ACADEMIC PRESS INC",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Prevalence and co-occurrence of cognitive impairment in children and young people up to 12-months post infection with SARS-CoV-2 (Omicron variant)

AU - for the CLoCk Consortium

AU - Foret-Bruno, Paul

AU - Shafran, Roz

AU - Stephenson, Terence

AU - Nugawela, Manjula D.

AU - Chan, Dennis

AU - Ladhani, Shamez

AU - McOwat, Kelsey

AU - Mensah, Anna

AU - Simmons, Ruth

AU - Fox Smith, Lana

AU - D'oelsnitz, Anaïs

AU - Xu, Laila

AU - Dalrymple, Emma

AU - Heyman, Isobel

AU - Ford, Tamsin

AU - Segal, Terry

AU - Chalder, Trudie

AU - Rojas, Natalia

AU - Pinto Pereira, Snehal M.

PY - 2024/7

Y1 - 2024/7

N2 - Background: Cognitive impairment is often reported after SARS-CoV-2 infection, yet evidence gaps remain. We aimed to (i) report the prevalence and characteristics of children and young people (CYP) reporting “brain fog” (i.e., cognitive impairment) 12-months post PCR-proven SARS-CoV-2 infection and determine whether differences by infection status exist and (ii) explore the prevalence of CYP experiencing cognitive impairment over a 12-month period post-infection and investigate the relationship between cognitive impairment and poor mental health and well-being, mental fatigue and sleep problems. Methods: The Omicron CLoCk sub-study, set up in January 2022, collected data on first-time PCR-test-positive and PCR-proven reinfected CYP at time of testing and at 3-, 6- and 12-months post-testing. We describe the prevalence of cognitive impairment at 12-months, indicating when it was first reported. We characterise CYP experiencing cognitive impairment and use chi-squared tests to determine whether cognitive impairment prevalence varied by infection status. We explore the relationship between cognitive impairment and poor mental health and well-being, mental fatigue and trouble sleeping using validated scales. We examine associations at 3-, 6- and 12-months post-testing by infection status using Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests. Results: At 12-months post-testing, 7.0 % (24/345) of first-positives and 7.5 % (27/360) of reinfected CYP experienced cognitive impairment with no difference between infection-status groups (p = 0.78). The majority of these CYP experienced cognitive impairment for the first time at either time of testing or 3-months post-test (no difference between the infection-status groups; p = 0.60). 70.8 % of first-positives experiencing cognitive impairment at 12-months, were 15-to-17-years-old as were 33.3 % of reinfected CYP experiencing cognitive impairment (p < 0.01). Consistently at all time points post-testing, CYP experiencing cognitive impairment were more likely to score higher on all Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire subscales, higher on the Chalder Fatigue sub-scale for mental fatigue, lower on the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale and report more trouble sleeping. Conclusions: CYP have a fluctuating experience of cognitive impairment by 12-months post SARS-CoV-2-infection. Cognitive impairment is consistently correlated with poorer sleep, behavioural and emotional functioning over a 12-month period. Clinicians should be aware of cognitive impairment post-infection and its co-occurring nature with poorer sleep, behavioural and mental health symptoms.

AB - Background: Cognitive impairment is often reported after SARS-CoV-2 infection, yet evidence gaps remain. We aimed to (i) report the prevalence and characteristics of children and young people (CYP) reporting “brain fog” (i.e., cognitive impairment) 12-months post PCR-proven SARS-CoV-2 infection and determine whether differences by infection status exist and (ii) explore the prevalence of CYP experiencing cognitive impairment over a 12-month period post-infection and investigate the relationship between cognitive impairment and poor mental health and well-being, mental fatigue and sleep problems. Methods: The Omicron CLoCk sub-study, set up in January 2022, collected data on first-time PCR-test-positive and PCR-proven reinfected CYP at time of testing and at 3-, 6- and 12-months post-testing. We describe the prevalence of cognitive impairment at 12-months, indicating when it was first reported. We characterise CYP experiencing cognitive impairment and use chi-squared tests to determine whether cognitive impairment prevalence varied by infection status. We explore the relationship between cognitive impairment and poor mental health and well-being, mental fatigue and trouble sleeping using validated scales. We examine associations at 3-, 6- and 12-months post-testing by infection status using Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests. Results: At 12-months post-testing, 7.0 % (24/345) of first-positives and 7.5 % (27/360) of reinfected CYP experienced cognitive impairment with no difference between infection-status groups (p = 0.78). The majority of these CYP experienced cognitive impairment for the first time at either time of testing or 3-months post-test (no difference between the infection-status groups; p = 0.60). 70.8 % of first-positives experiencing cognitive impairment at 12-months, were 15-to-17-years-old as were 33.3 % of reinfected CYP experiencing cognitive impairment (p < 0.01). Consistently at all time points post-testing, CYP experiencing cognitive impairment were more likely to score higher on all Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire subscales, higher on the Chalder Fatigue sub-scale for mental fatigue, lower on the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale and report more trouble sleeping. Conclusions: CYP have a fluctuating experience of cognitive impairment by 12-months post SARS-CoV-2-infection. Cognitive impairment is consistently correlated with poorer sleep, behavioural and emotional functioning over a 12-month period. Clinicians should be aware of cognitive impairment post-infection and its co-occurring nature with poorer sleep, behavioural and mental health symptoms.

KW - Brain fog

KW - Children

KW - Cognitive impairment

KW - long Covid

KW - Omicron

KW - Post Covid-19 condition

KW - Prospective

KW - Young people

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85193600848&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.05.001

DO - 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.05.001

M3 - Article

C2 - 38735404

AN - SCOPUS:85193600848

SN - 0889-1591

VL - 119

SP - 989

EP - 994

JO - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity

JF - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity

ER -

Prevalence and co-occurrence of cognitive impairment in children and young people up to 12-months post infection with SARS-CoV-2 (Omicron variant)

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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