Background We describe post-COVID symptomatology in a non-hospitalised, national sample of adolescents aged 11–17 years with PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection compared with matched adolescents with negative PCR status. Methods In this national cohort study, adolescents aged 11–17 years from the Public Health England database who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 between January and March, 2021, were matched by month of test, age, sex, and geographical region to adolescents who tested negative. 3 months after testing, a subsample of adolescents were contacted to complete a detailed questionnaire, which collected data on demographics and their physical and mental health at the time of PCR testing (retrospectively) and at the time of completing the questionnaire (prospectively). We compared symptoms between the test-postive and test-negative groups, and used latent class analysis to assess whether and how physical symptoms at baseline and at 3 months clustered among participants. This study is registered with the ISRCTN registry (ISRCTN 34804192). Findings 23 048 adolescents who tested positive and 27 798 adolescents who tested negative between Jan 1, 2021, and March 31, 2021, were contacted, and 6804 adolescents (3065 who tested positive and 3739 who tested negative) completed the questionnaire (response rate 13·4%). At PCR testing, 1084 (35·4%) who tested positive and 309 (8·3%) who tested negative were symptomatic and 936 (30·5%) from the test-positive group and 231 (6·2%) from the test-negative group had three or more symptoms. 3 months after testing, 2038 (66·5%) who tested positive and 1993 (53·3%) who tested negative had any symptoms, and 928 (30·3%) from the test-positive group and 603 (16·2%) from the test-negative group had three or more symptoms. At 3 months after testing, the most common symptoms among the test-positive group were tiredness (1196 [39·0%]), headache (710 [23·2%]), and shortness of breath (717 [23·4%]), and among the test-negative group were tiredness (911 [24·4%]), headache (530 [14·2%]), and other (unspecified; 590 [15·8%]). Latent class analysis identified two classes, characterised by few or multiple symptoms. The estimated probability of being in the multiple symptom class was 29·6% (95% CI 27·4–31·7) for the test-positive group and 19·3% (17·7–21·0) for the test-negative group (risk ratio 1·53; 95% CI 1·35–1·70). The multiple symptoms class was more frequent among those with positive PCR results than negative results, in girls than boys, in adolescents aged 15–17 years than those aged 11–14 years, and in those with lower pretest physical and mental health. Interpretation Adolescents who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 had similar symptoms to those who tested negative, but had a higher prevalence of single and, particularly, multiple symptoms at the time of PCR testing and 3 months later. Clinicians should consider multiple symptoms that affect functioning and recognise different clus...

AIM To investigate psychopathology in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), particularly the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptomatology, using a population-based sampling approach.METHOD Standard questionnaire screen reports were analysed for ASD (Social Responsiveness Scale, SRS), ADHD (Conners' Parent Rating Scale-Revised, CPRS-R), and other psychiatric morbidity (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, SDQ) from parents and teachers of children aged from 4 to 16 years (112 females, 95 males) on the UK North West Regional Genetic Service register for NF1.RESULTS Parental response rate was 52.7% (109 ⁄ 207 children; 59 females, 50 males, mean age 9y 11mo, SD 3y 3mo). The SRS showed that in 29.4% (32 ⁄ 109) of children, autism was in the severe, clinical range (T-score>75) and in 26.6% (29 ⁄ 109) in the mild to moderate range (T-score 60-75). CPRS-R scores showed that in 53.8% (57 ⁄ 106) of children autism was in the clinical ADHD range (ADHD index T-score>65). Based on their scores on the SDQ total difficulties scale, 41.5% (44 ⁄ 106) of children were in the abnormal range and 14.2% (15 ⁄ 106) were in the borderline range. Twentyfive per cent (26 ⁄ 104) of children met criteria for both clinical autism and ADHD.INTERPRETATION This representative population-based sample of children with NF1 indicates a high prevalence of ASD symptoms associated with NF1 as well as substantial co-occurrence with ADHD symptoms. The findings clarify the psychopathology of NF1 and show the disorder as a potentially important single-gene cause for autism symptoms.Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a common autosomal dominant genetic disorder with a birth incidence of at least one in 2699 and a prevalence of one in 4560.1 Fifty per cent of cases are inherited while the rest are sporadic cases due to spontaneous mutation of the gene located on chromosome 17 (17q11.2). The diagnosis of NF1 is clinical and is based on distinctive cutaneous features of the physical phenotype, such as café-au-lait spots, skinfold freckling, and neurofibromas. The most common associated complication of NF1 in childhood relates to cognitive dysfunction: approximately 80% of children with NF1 experience moderate to severe impairment in one or more areas of cognitive functioning.2 Associated psychiatric morbidity has commonly been reported in NF1, but prevalence estimates have previously been wholly based on clinic referral populations and relatively small samples. Since it is well recognized that clinic referral bias will distort co-occurrence or comorbidity estimation, 3,4 inferences from these studies to the general population of NF1 are insecure. Also, the studies have generally not considered threats to the specificity of any conclusions, for instance that the disturbance found might be a non-specific effect of learning disability or other aspects of developmental disorder.Nevertheless, with these caveats, Samuelsson and Riccardi 5 found significant mental illness in 33% (n=15 ⁄...

WHAT'S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT: NF1 is the commonest singlegene neurodevelopmental disorder with known neurobiology and developmental impact on attention and cognition. Its impact on social functioning is described but poorly understood, with no population-based study of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence in the disorder. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS:This epidemiological study shows high prevalence of 25% ASD in NF1 not explained by learning difficulties. ASD should be considered during clinical practice with NF1. Further research into NF1 as a single-gene model of ASD is warranted.abstract OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1). METHODS:Second-phase population-based epidemiologic study using an allcase NF1 registry in a defined UK 4.1 million population area. A total of 109 (52.7%) of 207 responders from the initial screening phase were grouped by using the parent-rated Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) as significant ASD (SRS$76; n 5 32), moderate ASD (SRS $ 60,76; n 5 29), or non-ASD (SRS ,60, n 5 48). Twenty-three cases from the significant ASD group, 16 from moderate ASD, and 8 from non-ASD (total n 5 47), invited proportionately by random selection, were seen for detailed confirmatory ascertainment. Assessments on Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale-Generic, and verbal IQ were combined by using standard Collaborative Program for Excellence in Autism criteria into an ASD categorization for each case (ASD, broad ASD with partial features, non-ASD). A preplanned weighted analysis was used to derive prevalence estimates for the whole population.RESULTS: Fourteen (29.5%) of 47 showed ASD, 13 (27.7%) broad ASD, and 20 (42.5%) non-ASD. The ASD/broad ASD group showed male predominance (1.7:1.0), but did not differ significantly from the non-ASD group on IQ, age, socioeconomic status, inheritance, physical severity, or education. The population prevalence estimate is 24.9% ASD (95% confidence interval 13.1%-42.1%) and 20.8% broad ASD (95% confidence interval 10.0%-38.1%); a total of 45.7% showing some ASD spectrum phenotype. Dr Garg contributed to the study design, identified the participants, led the study fieldwork, undertook preliminary analysis, and drafted the initial manuscript and revisions; Professor Green conceptualized the study, contributed to the design, supervised the fieldwork and early analysis, and critically reviewed and revised the manuscript; Dr Leadbitter contributed to the fieldwork assessments, data entry, and initial analysis, and contributed to drafting and critical review of the manuscript; Dr Emsley designed and carried out the analysis, and contributed to the drafting and critical review of the manuscript; Dr Lehtonen contributed to the initial design and patient identification; Dr Evans contributed to the initial design, supervised patient identification, and contributed to drafting and critical review of the manuscript; Dr Huson conceptualized the study, contributed to the design, super...

IMPORTANCE Recent reports have demonstrated a higher incidence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and substantially elevated autistic trait burden in individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). However, important discrepancies regarding the distribution of autistic traits, sex predominance, and association between ASD symptoms and attentional problems have emerged, and critical features of the ASD phenotype within NF1 have never been adequately explored. Establishing NF1 as a monogenic cause for ASD has important implications for affected patients and for future research focused on establishing convergent pathogenic mechanisms relevant to the potential treatment targets for ASD. OBJECTIVE To characterize the quantitative autistic trait (QAT) burden in a pooled NF1 data set. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Anonymized, individual-level primary data were accumulated from 6 tertiary referral centers in the United States, Belgium, United Kingdom, and Australia. A total of 531 individuals recruited from NF1 clinical centers were included in the study. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Distribution of ASD traits (Social Responsiveness Scale, second edition [SRS-2], with T scores of ≥75 associated with a categorical ASD diagnosis); attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traits (4 versions of Conners Rating Scale, with T scores of ≥65 indicating clinically significant ADHD symptoms); ASD symptom structure, latent structure, base rate derived from mixture modeling; and familiality. RESULTS Of the 531 patients included in the analysis, 247 were male (46.5%); median age was 11 years (range, 2.5–83.9 years). QAT scores were continuously distributed and pathologically shifted; 13.2%(95%CI, 10.3%–16.1%) of individuals scored within the most severe range (ie, above the first percentile of the general population distribution) in which the male to female ratio was markedly attenuated (1.6:1) relative to idiopathic ASD. Autistic symptoms in this NF1 cohort demonstrated a robust unitary factor structure, with the first principal component explaining 30.9%of the variance in SRS-2 scores, and a strong association with ADHD symptoms (r = 0.61). Within-family correlation for QAT burden (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.73 in NF1-affected first-degree relatives) exceeded that observed in the general population and ASD family samples. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This study provides confirmation that the diversity of mutations that give rise to NF1 function as quantitative trait loci for ASD. Moreover, the within-family correlation implicates a high degree of mutational specificity for this associated phenotype. Clinicians should be alerted to the increased frequency of this disabling comorbidity, and the scientific community should be aware of the potential for this monogenic disorder to help elucidate the biological features of idiopathic autism.