R3 Seminar Recap: Patterns of PASC with Initial COVID-19 Infections and Reinfections: EHR Insights
During the October 29th RECOVER Research Review (R3) Seminar, researchers highlighted patterns in electronic health record (EHR) data in patients who developed Long COVID after a first, or subsequent COVID-19 reinfection.
By reviewing patient medical records from as early as March 2020, the findings from these studies provide insights into potential risks associated with developing Long COVID.
Watch the R3 recording below or on YouTube
Emily Hadley, MS (RTI International) and Richard Moffitt, PhD (Emory University) presented their research on COVID-19 reinfections and patients’ risk for developing Long COVID. Their study looked at EHR for more than 200,000 patients with at least one documented COVID-19 reinfection. The team identified several key takeaways, including that initial COVID-19 infections were more likely to lead to Long COVID diagnoses than reinfections.
The study also found that patients with a recorded COVID-19 reinfection tended to be:
- Younger in age
- Black or Hispanic
- People with a preexisting condition like diabetes or heart disease
- Less likely to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before their first infection
Read the full research article.
Hannah Mandel, MS (NYU Langone Health), and Dr. Moffitt continued the conversation by presenting on the occurrence of Long COVID in adults and children between 2020 and 2023. After analyzing over 5 million EHRs across 3 different health systems, the study team found:
- 7 out of every 100 children developed Long COVID
- Between 9%-26% of adults developed Long COVID
- Patients with Long COVID were more likely to have been hospitalized for COVID-19 and have a pre-existing condition
Read the full research article.
Dr. Ravi Jhaveri, MD (Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University) led the Q&A session with the panelists. The researchers answered questions about challenges with accounting for at-home COVID tests in EHR data, and the role of vaccinations in Long COVID rates. They concluded the session by responding to a request for advice for healthcare providers. All of the investigators agreed that COVID-19 symptoms can still be severe, and that each new COVID-19 infection or reinfection can lead to Long COVID. They stated that reducing the risk for infection and increasing vaccination or boosters are still very important for preventing Long COVID.
To find recordings and transcripts of more R3 seminars, visit the RECOVER YouTube channel and the R3 webpage.