Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39900834›Full record

ArticlePediatric research2025

Postacute COVID-19 fatigue, dyspnea and reduced activity in children and adolescents.

Chia-Wei Lin, Kuan-Yu Chen, Jeng-Hung Wu, Yun-Chung Liu, Ting-Yu Yen, Chun-Yi Lu, Yiing-Mei Liou, Yi-Chien Chiang, Li-Min Huang, Susan Shur-Fen Gau and 1 more

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Article in Pediatric research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

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11 authors.

Chia-Wei LinDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, and College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Kuan-Yu ChenDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, and College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Jeng-Hung WuDepartment of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, and College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yun-Chung LiuDepartment of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, and College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Ting-Yu YenGraduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chun-Yi LuDepartment of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, and College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yiing-Mei LiouInstitute of Community Health Care, College of Nursing, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yi-Chien ChiangDepartment of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou Main Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Li-Min HuangGraduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Susan Shur-Fen GauGraduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. gaushufe@ntu.edu.tw.
Luan-Yin ChangGraduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. lychang@ntu.edu.tw.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2632-1956

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis study aimed to quantify fatigue, dyspnea, and physical activity and identify associated factors in children and adolescents with postacute COVID-19 syndrome.

methodsA prospective cohort study included 74 participants aged 6-18 years with postacute COVID-19 symptoms and 120 age- and sex-matched controls without SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Participants completed questionnaires assessing fatigue, dyspnea, and physical activity and underwent pulmonary function tests.

resultsChildren with postacute COVID-19 syndrome reported significantly greater fatigue (parent-rated scores: mean 67.9 vs. 82.4, p < 0.001; child-rated scores: 73.7 vs. 83.0, p < 0.001), increased dyspnea (mMRC grades 3-4: 10.9% vs. 4.1%, p = 0.001), and lower physical activity (median 787.8 vs. 1658.5 MET*min/week, p < 0.001) than controls. They also had a higher prevalence of mixed (8.1% vs. 1.7%, p = 0.029) and restrictive lung disease (29.7% vs. 10.8%, p = 0.001). Older age and COVID-19 were identified as risk factors for fatigue and reduced activity. Fatigue correlated with reduced physical activity but not with pulmonary function.

conclusionChildren and adolescents with postacute COVID-19 syndrome, particularly older individuals, experience greater fatigue and reduced physical activity than controls. These findings highlight the importance of quantifying postacute COVID-19 symptoms and their associations with physiological assessments. IMPACT: This prospective, age- and sex-matched cohort study revealed that children and adolescents with postacute COVID-19 syndrome perceived higher fatigue levels, had higher dyspnea scores, had a greater prevalence of mixed lung and restrictive lung disease, and exhibited less physical activity than their control counterparts. Fatigue correlated with reduced physical activity but was not consistently correlated with pulmonary function test results. This study highlights the importance of quantifying postacute COVID-19 symptoms and exploring the associations between individual symptoms and the impact of coronavirus infection on various systems, including the neurological, musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, and immune systems.

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