Clinical Features and Vaccination Effects among Children with Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 in Taiwan
Yu-Lung Hsu,
Pei-Chi Chen,
Yi-Fen Tsai,
Chi-Hung Wei,
Lawrence Shi-Hsin Wu,
Kai-Sheng Hsieh,
Miao-Hsi Hsieh,
Huan-Cheng Lai,
Chien-Heng Lin,
Hsiao-Chuan Lin,
Chieh-Ho Chen,
An-Chyi Chen,
Hung-Chih Lin,
I-Ching Chou,
Wen-Jue Soong,
Kao-Pin Hwang,
Henry Horng-Shing Lu,
Ruby Pawankar,
Hui-Ju Tsai,
Jiu-Yao Wang
Affiliations
Yu-Lung Hsu
Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, China Medical University Children’s Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
Pei-Chi Chen
Center of Allergy, Immunology and Microbiome (A.I.M), China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University Children’s Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
Yi-Fen Tsai
Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan 350401, Taiwan
Chi-Hung Wei
Division of Medical Research, China Medical University Children’s Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
Lawrence Shi-Hsin Wu
Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
Kai-Sheng Hsieh
Division of Medical Research, China Medical University Children’s Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
Miao-Hsi Hsieh
Center of Allergy, Immunology and Microbiome (A.I.M), China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University Children’s Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
Huan-Cheng Lai
Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, China Medical University Children’s Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
Chien-Heng Lin
Division of Pediatric Pulmonology and Intensive Care, China Medical University Children’s Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
Hsiao-Chuan Lin
Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, China Medical University Children’s Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
Chieh-Ho Chen
Division of Pediatric Pulmonology and Intensive Care, China Medical University Children’s Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
An-Chyi Chen
Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, China Medical University Children’s Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
Hung-Chih Lin
Division of Neonatology, China Medical University Children’s Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
I-Ching Chou
Division of Pediatric Neurology, China Medical University Children’s Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
Wen-Jue Soong
Division of Pediatric Pulmonology and Intensive Care, China Medical University Children’s Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
Kao-Pin Hwang
Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, China Medical University Children’s Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
Henry Horng-Shing Lu
Institute of Statistics, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
Ruby Pawankar
Department of Pediatrics, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 8602, Japan
Hui-Ju Tsai
Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan 350401, Taiwan
Jiu-Yao Wang
Center of Allergy, Immunology and Microbiome (A.I.M), China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University Children’s Hospital, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
Background: 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. Methods: 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. Results: 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. Conclusions: 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.
