Since early 2020, COVID-19 disease spread rapidly across the US and will likely be sustained or recur periodically until an effective vaccine or prophylactic treatment is developed. The pandemic will have a large impact on the conduct of the next phase of eMERGE, including recruitment of new participants as well as development, validation, and implementation of genomic risk assessments based on polygenic risk scores (PRS). The supplement presents an opportunity for Northwestern to contribute eMERGE network efforts to promote the understanding of the genetic epidemiology and individual susceptibility to COVID-19 infection, disease severity, and complications. In support of efforts proposed in the supplement application for the coordinating center, we propose to expand Aim 1 of our eMERGE 4 application with the following aim: Create, validate and implement COVID-19 ePhenotyping for manifest disease, disease severity, and specific COVID-19 complications in the Northwestern biobank. Recognizing that decisions about ePhenotype development and implementation will be made in collaboration with the coordinating center and other participating eMERGE 4 sites, in this supplement, we propose leading phenotype development of three critical COVID-19 phenotypes 1) myocarditis, 2) acute kidney injury, and 3) coagulopathy complications. Additionally, we propose to facilitate studies of the full spectrum of COVID-19 disease including those with minimal or no symptoms, which will motivate participation in eMERGE 4 among individuals who may have been at higher risk to exposure to COVID-19. To achieve this, we will expand aim 2 of our parent eMERGE 4 application with the following 2 aims: a) provide SARS-CoV-2 serological testing for IgG to all Northwestern participants recruited into eMERGE 4 in year 1 of the award and b) facilitate SARS-CoV-2 serology testing and genotyping of cohabitating family members of eMERGE 4 participants by mail.
The supplement application proposes to add additional electronic phenotyping work to the Northwestern site of eMERGE 4. This work would permit the creation, validation, and implementation of electronic phenotypes related to COVID-19 incidence, severity, and complications and the use of these phenotypes in genetic studies. As part of this supplement we also propose to add serological testing for SARS-CoV-2 in eMERGE participants and their cohabitating family members
