TABLE 2.

Heterogeneity and Methodological Limitations Found in Studies Investigating Children and Adolescents With Persistent Symptoms After SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Heterogeneity between studies

Studies vary considerably in:

• Age range of participants

• Proportion of participants with preexisting medical conditions

• Inclusion criteria

∘ Laboratory confirmed COVID

∘ Severity of disease

• Time points of assessment

• Outcome measurement

∘ Number and range of symptoms assessed

∘ Duration of follow-up

• Data collection method

Methodologic limitations

• No control group

• Small cohort or small number seropositive

• No data on preexisting medical conditions

• Inclusion criteria

∘ Includes self-reported SARS-CoV-2 infection

∘ Not all cases laboratory confirmed infection

∘ Includes only/mostly asymptomatic or mild infection

• Outcome

∘ Timing of SARS-CoV-2 infection not specified

∘ Duration of symptoms not specified

∘ Self-/parent-reported symptoms, no clinical assessment

∘ Few clinical outcomes assessed

∘ No mental health outcomes

• Bias

∘ Selection bias

∘ Misclassification bias

∘ Recall bias

∘ Nonresponse bias