Clinical Profile, Hospital Course and Outcome of Children with COVID-19
Article
Nallasamy, K, Angurana, SK, Jayashree, M et al. (2021). Clinical Profile, Hospital Course and Outcome of Children with COVID-19
. 88(10), 979-984. 10.1007/s12098-020-03572-w
Nallasamy, K, Angurana, SK, Jayashree, M et al. (2021). Clinical Profile, Hospital Course and Outcome of Children with COVID-19
. 88(10), 979-984. 10.1007/s12098-020-03572-w
Objectives: To describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics and outcome of hospitalized children with COVID-19 during the initial phase of the pandemic. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted at the dedicated COVID-19 hospital of a tertiary care referral center in North India. Consecutive children aged 14 y or younger who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR from nasopharyngeal swab between 1 April 2020 and 15 July 2020 were included. Results: Of 31 children with median (IQR) age of 33 (9–96) mo, 9 (29%) were infants. About 74% (n = 23) had history of household contact. Comorbidities were noted in 6 (19%) children. More than half (58%) were asymptomatic. Of 13 symptomatic children, median (IQR) duration of symptoms was 2 (1–5.5) d. Fever (32%) was most common followed by cough (19%), rapid breathing (13%), diarrhea (10%) and vomiting (10%). Severe [n = 4, 13%] and critical [n = 1, 3%] illnesses were noted more commonly in infants with comorbidities. Three (10%) children required PICU admission and invasive ventilation; one died. Median (IQR) length of hospital stay was 15 (11–20) d. Follow up RT-PCR before discharge was performed in 17 children and the median (IQR) duration to RT-PCR negativity was 16 (12–19) d. Conclusions: In the early pandemic, most children with COVID-19 had a household contact and presented with asymptomatic or mild illness. Severe and critical illness were observed in young infants and those with comorbidities.
