Long COVID also seems to affect younger patients as demonstrated by the study conducted at the A. Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome on a cohort of 129 children with microbiologically confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. 27.1% had at least one symptom more than 120 days later from the first diagnosis and 20.6% had three or more symptoms. The more problems common were muscle and/or joint pain, headache, or chest pain sensation of chest tightness, palpitations and sleep disturbances.
Currently there are few data, divided by sex, on the incidence of Long COVID and only on the adult population. In general, women seem to have twice as likely to develop Long COVID, compared to men, but only until around 60, when the risk level becomes similar. In addition to being a woman, older age and a higher body mass index also appear to be risk factors for having Long COVID.
