Developmental or intellectual disabilities may be associated with increased risk of long COVID

1. Individuals with an intellectual or developmental disability were more likely to experience negative outcomes 80-190 days after COVID-19 infection.

Evidence Rating Level: 2 (Good)

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers determined that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) were more likely to contract severe COVID-19 disease. To date, no studies have investigated the long-term effects of COVID-19 infection in this population. In this study, 36,308 participants both with and without IDD were identified from the TriNetX network, which includes subjects from Brazil, Taiwan, the United States, and Poland. Follow-up occurred over the first 90 to 180 days after COVID-19 infection. During this period, those with an IDD were more likely to develop post-COVID-19 conditions compared to those without an IDD (hazard ratio [HR], 1.120; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.053-1.191). These conditions included abnormal breathing, cough, fatigue, cognitive symptoms, myalgia, disordered sleep, and abdominal symptoms. A limitation of this study is that many participants with an IDD have difficulty explaining their symptoms, which may lead to underdetection or inaccurate diagnosis of post-COVID-19 syndromes. This study demonstrates that individuals with an IDD are more likely to experience negative outcomes 80-190 days after being infected with COVID-19. This vulnerable population may need more monitoring in clinical settings following COVID-19 infection. 

Click to read the study in BMC Medicine

Image: PD