Researching COVID to enhance recovery (RECOVER) pediatric study protocol: Rationale, objectives and design

Gross RS, Thaweethai T, Rosenzweig EB, Chan J, Chibnik LB, Cicek MS, Elliott AJ, Flaherman VJ, Foulkes AS, Gage Witvliet M, Gallagher R, Gennaro ML, Jernigan TL, Karlson EW, Katz SD, Kinser PA, Kleinman LC, Lamendola-Essel MF, Milner JD, Mohandas S, Mudumbi PC, Newburger JW, Rhee KE, Salisbury AL, Snowden JN, Stein CR, Stockwell MS, Tantisira KG, Thomason ME, Truong DT, Warburton D, Wood JC, Ahmed S, Akerlundh A, Alshawabkeh AN, Anderson BR, Aschner JL, Atz AM, Aupperle RL, Baker FC, Balaraman V, Banerjee D, Barch DM, Baskin-Sommers A, Bhuiyan S, Bind MC, Bogie AL, Bradford T, Buchbinder NC, Bueler E, Bukulmez H, Casey BJ, Chang L, Chrisant M, Clark DB, Clifton RG, Clouser KN, Cottrell L, Cowan K, D'Sa V, Dapretto M, Dasgupta S, Dehority W, Dionne A, Dummer KB, Elias MD, Esquenazi-Karonika S, Evans DN, Faustino EVS, Fiks AG, Forsha D, Foxe JJ, Friedman NP, Fry G, Gaur S, Gee DG, Gray KM, Handler S, Harahsheh AS, Hasbani K, Heath AC, Hebson C, Heitzeg MM, Hester CM, Hill S, Hobart-Porter L, Hong TKF, Horowitz CR, Hsia DS, Huentelman M, Hummel KD, Irby K, Jacobus J, Jacoby VL, Jone PN, Kaelber DC, Kasmarcak TJ, Kluko MJ, Kosut JS, Laird AR, Landeo-Gutierrez J, Lang SM, Larson CL, Lim PPC, Lisdahl KM, McCrindle BW, McCulloh RJ, McHugh K, Mendelsohn AL, Metz TD, Miller J, Mitchell EC, Morgan LM, Muller-Oehring EM, Nahin ER, Neale MC, Ness-Cochinwala M, Nolan SM, Oliveira CR, Osakwe O, Oster ME, Payne RM, Portman MA, Raissy H, Randall IG, Rao S, Reeder HT, Rosas JM, Russell MW, Sabati AA, Sanil Y, Sato AI, Schechter MS, Selvarangan R, Sexson Tejtel SK, Shakti D, Sharma K, Squeglia LM, Srivastava S, Stevenson MD, Szmuszkovicz J, Talavera-Barber MM, Teufel RJ 2nd, Thacker D, Trachtenberg F, Udosen MM, Warner MR, Watson SE, Werzberger A, Weyer JC, Wood MJ, Yin HS, Zempsky WT, Zimmerman E, Dreyer BP, PLoS One 19 (5) :e0285635 (2024).

Abstract

IMPORTANCE: The prevalence, pathophysiology, and long-term outcomes of COVID-19 (post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 [PASC] or “Long COVID”) in children and young adults remain unknown. Studies must address the urgent need to define PASC, its mechanisms, and potential treatment targets in children and young adults. OBSERVATIONS: We describe the protocol for the Pediatric Observational Cohort Study of the NIH’s REsearching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Initiative. RECOVER-Pediatrics is an observational meta-cohort study of caregiver-child pairs (birth through 17 years) and young adults (18 through 25 years), recruited from more than 100 sites across the US. This report focuses on two of four cohorts that comprise RECOVER-Pediatrics: 1) a de novo RECOVER prospective cohort of children and young adults with and without previous or current infection; and 2) an extant cohort derived from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study (n = 10,000). The de novo cohort incorporates three tiers of data collection: 1) remote baseline assessments (Tier 1, n = 6000); 2) longitudinal follow-up for up to 4 years (Tier 2, n = 6000); and 3) a subset of participants, primarily the most severely affected by PASC, who will undergo deep phenotyping to explore PASC pathophysiology (Tier 3, n = 600). Youth enrolled in the ABCD study participate in Tier 1. The pediatric protocol was developed as a collaborative partnership of investigators, patients, researchers, clinicians, community partners, and federal partners, intentionally promoting inclusivity and diversity. The protocol is adaptive to facilitate responses to emerging science. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: RECOVER-Pediatrics seeks to characterize the clinical course, underlying mechanisms, and long-term effects of PASC from birth through 25 years old. RECOVER-Pediatrics is designed to elucidate the epidemiology, four-year clinical course, and sociodemographic correlates of pediatric PASC. The data and biosamples will allow examination of mechanistic hypotheses and biomarkers, thus providing insights into potential therapeutic interventions. CLINICAL TRIALS.GOV IDENTIFIER: Clinical Trial Registration: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT05172011.