Characterizing Symptoms and Identifying Biomarkers of Long COVID in People With and Without HIV: Protocol for a Remotely Conducted Prospective Observational Cohort Study

Background: Living with HIV is a risk factor for severe acute COVID-19, but it is unknown whether it is a risk factor for long COVID.

Objective: This study aims to characterize symptoms, sequelae, and cognition formally and prospectively 12 months following SARS-CoV-2 infection in people living with HIV compared with people without HIV. People with no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, both with and without HIV, are enrolled as controls. The study also aims to identify blood-based biomarkers or patterns of immune dysregulation associated with long COVID.

Methods: This prospective observational cohort study enrolled participants into 1 of the following 4 study arms: people living with HIV who had SARS-CoV-2 infection for the first time <4 weeks before enrollment (HIV+COVID+ arm), people without HIV who had SARS-CoV-2 infection for the first time within 4 weeks of enrollment (HIV-COVID+ arm), people living with HIV who believed they never had SARS-CoV-2 infection (HIV+COVID- arm), and people without HIV who believed they never had SARS-CoV-2 infection (HIV-COVID- arm). At enrollment, participants in the COVID+ arms recalled their symptoms, mental health status, and quality of life in the month before having SARS-CoV-2 infection via a comprehensive survey administered by telephone or on the web. All participants completed the same comprehensive survey 1, 2, 4, 6, and 12 months after post-acute COVID-19 symptom onset or diagnosis, if asymptomatic, (COVID+ arms) or after enrollment (COVID- arms) on the web or by telephone. In total, 11 cognitive assessments were administered by telephone at 1 and 4 months after symptom onset (COVID+ arms) or after enrollment (COVID- arms). A mobile phlebotomist met the participants at a location of their choice for height and weight measurements, orthostatic vital signs, and a blood draw. Participants in the COVID+ arms donated blood 1 and 4 months after COVID-19, and participants in the COVID- arms donated blood once or none. Blood was then shipped overnight to the receiving study laboratory, processed, and stored.

Results: This project was funded in early 2021, and recruitment began in June 2021. Data analyses will be completed by summer 2023. As of February 2023, a total of 387 participants were enrolled in this study, with 345 participants having completed enrollment or baseline surveys together with at least one other completed study event. The 345 participants includes 76 (22%) HIV+COVID+, 121 (35.1%) HIV-COVID+, 78 (22.6%) HIV+COVID-, and 70 (20.3%) HIV-COVID- participants.

Conclusions: This study will provide longitudinal data to characterize COVID-19 recovery over 12 months in people living with and without HIV. Additionally, this study will determine whether biomarkers or patterns of immune dsyregulation associate with decreased cognitive function or symptoms of long COVID.

International registered report identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/47079.