The Kinetics of Anti–SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Pediatric Patients and the Characterization of Post–COVID-19 Condition at 6 Months After Infection: Protocol for a Longitudinal Observational Study (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND Data regarding kinetics of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody and information about Long Covid in children are scarce, even though cases of COVID-19 in children are 18.5% of the total COVID-19 cases in the world with the prevalence of Long COVID is around 4-66%. OBJECTIVE We aimed to analyse anti RBD IgG antibodies over time and characterize long COVID sign and symptom in pediatric patients at 6 months following infection. METHODS This is a longitudinal observational study which was approved by the Medical and Health Research Ethics Committee (MHREC) Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing UGM (KE/FK/1288/EC/2021). COVID-19 pediatric patients diagnosed by positive molecular assay in nasopharyngeal swab will be tested for anti SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using the Roche Elecsys anti-SARS-CoV-2 S assay at the time of diagnosis, two weeks, one, three, and six months after diagnosed. Antibody titer data will be reported as mean and standard deviation. The respondents’ signs and symptoms will be observed up to 6 months after the onset of infection. The clinical features will be reported in frequency and percentage. RESULTS The funding was obtained in 2021, with participant enrollment starting in February to April 2022. Results analysis are expected in November 2022 CONCLUSIONS This can be the first study that reported the kinetics of Anti-SARS-COV-2 antibodies for up to 6 months following infection and long-covid prospectively in the Indonesian pediatric population.