SSRI/SNRI and long COVID in children and adolescents with neuropsychiatric conditions: a cohort study from the RECOVER Initiative.
Long COVID has been an important health concern in children and adolescents, yet factors associated with its development remain incompletely understood. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are widely prescribed for pediatric neuropsychiatric conditions and may influence immune and autonomic pathways involved in postinfectious symptoms. Here we show associations between SSRI/SNRI use and long coronavirus disease (COVID)-related outcomes in a retrospective cohort of 110,955 children and adolescents with pre-existing neuropsychiatric conditions across 37 US health systems participating in the National Institutes of Health Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery consortium. SSRI/SNRI use was not associated with clinician-recorded long COVID diagnosis but showed heterogeneous associations with individual symptoms. Lower risks were observed for some symptoms, including fever, chills and hair loss, whereas higher risks were observed for neurological and systemic outcomes, including postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, cognitive dysfunction and fatigue. These findings suggest that antidepressant exposure may be associated with differing post-COVID symptom patterns in youth and warrant further investigation.
Authors
Zhou Zhou, Zhang Zhang, Lu Lu, Chen Chen, Zang Zang, Li Li, Elia Elia, Prasad Prasad, Arnold Arnold, Avedissian Avedissian, Bailey Bailey, Becich Becich, Bensken Bensken, Bisyuk Bisyuk, Bunnell Bunnell, Castro Castro, Chrischilles Chrischilles, Christakis Christakis, Cowell Cowell, Cummins Cummins, Fernandez Fernandez, Fort Fort, Gonzalez Gonzalez, Herring Herring, Hornig Hornig, Hwang Hwang, Jain Jain, Jones Jones, Kaelber Kaelber, Kelleher Kelleher, Kenney Kenney, Leikauf Leikauf, Letts Letts, Liu Liu, Martinez Martinez, May May, Mosa Mosa, Pajor Pajor, Rao Rao, Salisbury Salisbury, Suresh Suresh, Swaminathan Swaminathan, Taylor Taylor, Thomas Thomas, Williams Williams, Witvliet Witvliet, Kaushal Kaushal, Wang Wang, Forrest Forrest, Chen Chen
View on Pubmed