TY - JOUR
T1 - Clinical and functional assessment of SARS-CoV-2 sequelae among young marines – a panel study
AU - Porter, Chad K.
AU - Beckett, Charmagne G.
AU - Cooper, Elizabeth
AU - White, Lindsey
AU - Wallace, David
AU - Jakubski, Silvia
AU - Boulifard, David
AU - Schilling, Megan
AU - Sun, Peifang
AU - Marayag, Jan
AU - Marrone, Amethyst
AU - Nunez-Hernandez, Edgar O.
AU - Vangeti, Sindhu
AU - Miller, Clare
AU - Ge, Yongchao
AU - Ramos, Irene
AU - Goforth, Carl
AU - Sealfon, Stuart C.
AU - Letizia, Andrew G.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024
PY - 2024/11
Y1 - 2024/11
N2 - Background: Long-term SARS-CoV-2 adverse health outcomes are of significant concern, especially among young adults with the potential for the greatest long-term morbidity. We sought to assess and characterize these outcomes in a cohort of Marines. Methods: We used a cohort of US Marines from a previous longitudinal, prospective observational study of acute SARS-CoV-2, most of whom were enrolled prior to infection. A panel study was established to assess for post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), defined as symptoms at least 4 weeks after symptom onset or diagnosis. Symptoms were assessed through questionnaires and validated quality of health metrics. Periodic US Marine Corps fitness testing metrics provided an additional standardized functional assessment and were compared to a pre-pandemic cohort. Findings: Globally dispersed Marine participants (n = 899) seen an average of 330 days following initial enrollment were predominately male (n = 825, 91.7%), White (n = 613, 71.6%) or Black (n = 149, 17.4%) with a median age of 18 years (interquartile range: 18–19). Among 798 SARS-CoV-2 infected participants, 197 (24.7%) developed PASC. The most prevalent symptoms were loss of taste and/or smell (n = 82; 41.6%), shortness of breath (n = 74; 37.6%), and cough (n = 45; 22.8%). Those with PASC had higher rates and severity of somatic (p < 0.0001), general depressive (p < 0.0001), and anxiety (p = 0.005) symptoms. Compared to a historic cohort of Marines, participants with PASC scored worse on their physical fitness assessments due to slower run times (p = 0.002). Those with PASC continued to have decreased physical performance one year after completing initial training. Interpretation: In this population of healthy young adult US Marines with mostly either asymptomatic or mild acute COVID-19, one fourth reported physical, cognitive, or psychiatric long-term sequelae of infection. The Marines affected with PASC showed evidence of long-term decrease in functional performance suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 infection may negatively affect health for a significant proportion of young adults. Funding: Defense Health Agency and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
AB - Background: Long-term SARS-CoV-2 adverse health outcomes are of significant concern, especially among young adults with the potential for the greatest long-term morbidity. We sought to assess and characterize these outcomes in a cohort of Marines. Methods: We used a cohort of US Marines from a previous longitudinal, prospective observational study of acute SARS-CoV-2, most of whom were enrolled prior to infection. A panel study was established to assess for post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), defined as symptoms at least 4 weeks after symptom onset or diagnosis. Symptoms were assessed through questionnaires and validated quality of health metrics. Periodic US Marine Corps fitness testing metrics provided an additional standardized functional assessment and were compared to a pre-pandemic cohort. Findings: Globally dispersed Marine participants (n = 899) seen an average of 330 days following initial enrollment were predominately male (n = 825, 91.7%), White (n = 613, 71.6%) or Black (n = 149, 17.4%) with a median age of 18 years (interquartile range: 18–19). Among 798 SARS-CoV-2 infected participants, 197 (24.7%) developed PASC. The most prevalent symptoms were loss of taste and/or smell (n = 82; 41.6%), shortness of breath (n = 74; 37.6%), and cough (n = 45; 22.8%). Those with PASC had higher rates and severity of somatic (p < 0.0001), general depressive (p < 0.0001), and anxiety (p = 0.005) symptoms. Compared to a historic cohort of Marines, participants with PASC scored worse on their physical fitness assessments due to slower run times (p = 0.002). Those with PASC continued to have decreased physical performance one year after completing initial training. Interpretation: In this population of healthy young adult US Marines with mostly either asymptomatic or mild acute COVID-19, one fourth reported physical, cognitive, or psychiatric long-term sequelae of infection. The Marines affected with PASC showed evidence of long-term decrease in functional performance suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 infection may negatively affect health for a significant proportion of young adults. Funding: Defense Health Agency and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Long COVID
KW - PASC
KW - Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19
KW - SARS-CoV-2
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85206990744&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.lana.2024.100909
DO - 10.1016/j.lana.2024.100909
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85206990744
SN - 2667-193X
VL - 39
JO - The Lancet Regional Health - Americas
JF - The Lancet Regional Health - Americas
M1 - 100909
ER -