BMJ Open (Jul 2022)

Deriving and validating a risk prediction model for long COVID-19: protocol for an observational cohort study using linked Scottish data

  • Aziz Sheikh,
  • Chris Robertson,
  • Srinivasa Vittal Katikireddi,
  • Emily Moore,
  • Colin R Simpson,
  • Luke Daines,
  • Eleftheria Vasileiou,
  • Syed Ahmar Shah,
  • Rachel H Mulholland,
  • Vicky Hammersley,
  • Steven Kerr,
  • Ting Shi,
  • David Weatherill,
  • Elisa Pesenti

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-059385
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 7

Abstract

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Introduction COVID-19 is commonly experienced as an acute illness, yet some people continue to have symptoms that persist for weeks, or months (commonly referred to as ‘long-COVID’). It remains unclear which patients are at highest risk of developing long-COVID. In this protocol, we describe plans to develop a prediction model to identify individuals at risk of developing long-COVID.Methods and analysis We will use the national Early Pandemic Evaluation and Enhanced Surveillance of COVID-19 (EAVE II) platform, a population-level linked dataset of routine electronic healthcare data from 5.4 million individuals in Scotland. We will identify potential indicators for long-COVID by identifying patterns in primary care data linked to information from out-of-hours general practitioner encounters, accident and emergency visits, hospital admissions, outpatient visits, medication prescribing/dispensing and mortality. We will investigate the potential indicators of long-COVID by performing a matched analysis between those with a positive reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) test for SARS-CoV-2 infection and two control groups: (1) individuals with at least one negative RT-PCR test and never tested positive; (2) the general population (everyone who did not test positive) of Scotland. Cluster analysis will then be used to determine the final definition of the outcome measure for long-COVID. We will then derive, internally and externally validate a prediction model to identify the epidemiological risk factors associated with long-COVID.Ethics and dissemination The EAVE II study has obtained approvals from the Research Ethics Committee (reference: 12/SS/0201), and the Public Benefit and Privacy Panel for Health and Social Care (reference: 1920-0279). Study findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences. Understanding the predictors for long-COVID and identifying the patient groups at greatest risk of persisting symptoms will inform future treatments and preventative strategies for long-COVID.