Somatosensory abnormalities after infection with SARS-CoV-2 – A prospective case-control study in children and adolescents
BackgroundLong-term neurological complaints after SARS-CoV-2 infection occur in 4–66% of children and adolescents. Controlled studies on the integrity of the peripheral nerve system are scarce. Therefore, we examined the somatosensory function in children and adolescents after SARS-CoV-2 infection i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Pediatrics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2022.977827/full |
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| author | Lynn Eitner Lynn Eitner Christoph Maier Folke Brinkmann Anne Schlegtendal Leona Knoke Elena Enax-Krumova Thomas Lücke Thomas Lücke |
| author_facet | Lynn Eitner Lynn Eitner Christoph Maier Folke Brinkmann Anne Schlegtendal Leona Knoke Elena Enax-Krumova Thomas Lücke Thomas Lücke |
| author_sort | Lynn Eitner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundLong-term neurological complaints after SARS-CoV-2 infection occur in 4–66% of children and adolescents. Controlled studies on the integrity of the peripheral nerve system are scarce. Therefore, we examined the somatosensory function in children and adolescents after SARS-CoV-2 infection in a case-control study compared with age-matched individuals.Materials and MethodsEighty-one subjects after SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 44 female, 11.4 ± 3.5 years, n = 75 SARS-CoV-2 seropositive, n = 6 PCR positive during infection and SARS-CoV-2 seronegative at the time point of study inclusion, n = 47 asymptomatic infection) were compared to 38 controls without SARS-CoV-2 infection (26 female, 10.3 ± 3.4 years, n = 15 with other infection within last 6 months). After standardised interviews and neurological examinations, large fibre (tactile and vibration detection thresholds) and small fibre (cold and warm detection thresholds, paradoxical heat sensation) functions were assessed on both feet following a validated protocol. After z-transformation of all values, all participants were compared to published reference values regarding the number of abnormal results. Additionally, the mean for all sensory parameters values of both study groups were compared to an ideal healthy population (with z-value 0 ± 1), as well as with each other, as previously described. Statistical analyses: t-test, Chi-squared test, and binominal test.FindingsNone of the controls, but 27 of the 81 patients (33%, p < 0.001) reported persistent complaints 2.7 ± 1.9 (0.8–8.5) months after SARS-CoV-2 infection, most often reduced exercise capacity (16%), fatigue (13%), pain (9%), or paraesthesia (6%). Reflex deficits or paresis were missing, but somatosensory profiles showed significantly increased detection thresholds for thermal (especially warm) and vibration stimuli compared to controls. Approximately 36% of the patients after SARS-CoV-2, but none of the controls revealed an abnormal sensory loss in at least one parameter (p < 0.01). Sensory loss was characterised in 26% by large and 12% by small fibre dysfunction, the latter appearing more frequently in children with prior symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. Myalgia/paraesthesia was indicative of somatosensory dysfunction. In all eight re-examined children, the nerve function recovered after 2–4 months.InterpretationThis study provides evidence that in a subgroup of children and adolescents previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, regardless of their complaints, the function of large or small nerve fibres is presumably reversibly impaired. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T09:22:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-28360d859545491b82c33f887ef21348 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T09:22:15Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Pediatrics |
| spelling | doaj.art-28360d859545491b82c33f887ef213482022-12-22T04:32:09ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pediatrics2296-23602022-10-011010.3389/fped.2022.977827977827Somatosensory abnormalities after infection with SARS-CoV-2 – A prospective case-control study in children and adolescentsLynn Eitner0Lynn Eitner1Christoph Maier2Folke Brinkmann3Anne Schlegtendal4Leona Knoke5Elena Enax-Krumova6Thomas Lücke7Thomas Lücke8Department of Neuropediatrics, University Children’s Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, GermanyUniversity Children’s Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, GermanyUniversity Children’s Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, GermanyUniversity Children’s Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, GermanyUniversity Children’s Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, GermanyUniversity Children’s Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, GermanyDepartment of Neurology, BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil gGmbH, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, GermanyDepartment of Neuropediatrics, University Children’s Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, GermanyUniversity Children’s Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, GermanyBackgroundLong-term neurological complaints after SARS-CoV-2 infection occur in 4–66% of children and adolescents. Controlled studies on the integrity of the peripheral nerve system are scarce. Therefore, we examined the somatosensory function in children and adolescents after SARS-CoV-2 infection in a case-control study compared with age-matched individuals.Materials and MethodsEighty-one subjects after SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 44 female, 11.4 ± 3.5 years, n = 75 SARS-CoV-2 seropositive, n = 6 PCR positive during infection and SARS-CoV-2 seronegative at the time point of study inclusion, n = 47 asymptomatic infection) were compared to 38 controls without SARS-CoV-2 infection (26 female, 10.3 ± 3.4 years, n = 15 with other infection within last 6 months). After standardised interviews and neurological examinations, large fibre (tactile and vibration detection thresholds) and small fibre (cold and warm detection thresholds, paradoxical heat sensation) functions were assessed on both feet following a validated protocol. After z-transformation of all values, all participants were compared to published reference values regarding the number of abnormal results. Additionally, the mean for all sensory parameters values of both study groups were compared to an ideal healthy population (with z-value 0 ± 1), as well as with each other, as previously described. Statistical analyses: t-test, Chi-squared test, and binominal test.FindingsNone of the controls, but 27 of the 81 patients (33%, p < 0.001) reported persistent complaints 2.7 ± 1.9 (0.8–8.5) months after SARS-CoV-2 infection, most often reduced exercise capacity (16%), fatigue (13%), pain (9%), or paraesthesia (6%). Reflex deficits or paresis were missing, but somatosensory profiles showed significantly increased detection thresholds for thermal (especially warm) and vibration stimuli compared to controls. Approximately 36% of the patients after SARS-CoV-2, but none of the controls revealed an abnormal sensory loss in at least one parameter (p < 0.01). Sensory loss was characterised in 26% by large and 12% by small fibre dysfunction, the latter appearing more frequently in children with prior symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. Myalgia/paraesthesia was indicative of somatosensory dysfunction. In all eight re-examined children, the nerve function recovered after 2–4 months.InterpretationThis study provides evidence that in a subgroup of children and adolescents previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, regardless of their complaints, the function of large or small nerve fibres is presumably reversibly impaired.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2022.977827/fullCOVID-19SARS-CoV-2quantitative sensory testingsomatosensory functionchildrenadolescents |
| spellingShingle | Lynn Eitner Lynn Eitner Christoph Maier Folke Brinkmann Anne Schlegtendal Leona Knoke Elena Enax-Krumova Thomas Lücke Thomas Lücke Somatosensory abnormalities after infection with SARS-CoV-2 – A prospective case-control study in children and adolescents Frontiers in Pediatrics COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 quantitative sensory testing somatosensory function children adolescents |
| title | Somatosensory abnormalities after infection with SARS-CoV-2 – A prospective case-control study in children and adolescents |
| title_full | Somatosensory abnormalities after infection with SARS-CoV-2 – A prospective case-control study in children and adolescents |
| title_fullStr | Somatosensory abnormalities after infection with SARS-CoV-2 – A prospective case-control study in children and adolescents |
| title_full_unstemmed | Somatosensory abnormalities after infection with SARS-CoV-2 – A prospective case-control study in children and adolescents |
| title_short | Somatosensory abnormalities after infection with SARS-CoV-2 – A prospective case-control study in children and adolescents |
| title_sort | somatosensory abnormalities after infection with sars cov 2 a prospective case control study in children and adolescents |
| topic | COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 quantitative sensory testing somatosensory function children adolescents |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2022.977827/full |
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