The Eurasian Journal of Medicine
Original Article

Clinical Features of Children with COVID-19 Infection: Single-Center Experience

1.

Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey

2.

Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey

3.

Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey

4.

Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Adana, Turkey

Eurasian J Med 2022; 54: 173-180
DOI: 10.5152/eurasianjmed.2022.21083
Read: 1400 Downloads: 603 Published: 01 June 2022

Objective: Compared to adult studies, there are few epidemiological and clinical reports on coronavirus disease 2019 in children. We aimed to present the demographic, epidemiological, and clinical findings of hospitalized pediatric coronavirus disease 2019 patients.

Materials and Methods: Patients aged 0–18 years who were hospitalized between March and July 2020 due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection were evaluated retrospectively.

Results: The mean age was 90.2 ± 67.5 (7–24) months and 23 (51%) were female. Clinical presentation was asymptomatic in 15 cases (33.3%), mild/moderate in 26 cases (57.8%), and severe/critical in 4 cases (8.9%). Three (6.6%) of the patients had chronic medical conditions that placed them in the high-risk group for coronavirus disease 2019. The source of infection was household transmission in 29 cases (64.4%). The most common symptoms were cough, fever, and fatigue. Mean serum lactate, C-reactive protein (CRP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were significantly higher in severe/criti- cal patients compared to the other two groups (P < .05). severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 negativity in control swabs (n=26) occurred at a mean of 10.6 ± 2.9 days after symptom onset. Forty-three patients (95.6%) were followed in the ward and 2 (4.4%) were admitted to the intensive care unit.

Conclusion: Children aged 0–18 years constituted a very small proportion of coronavirus disease 2019 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction -positive cases. Asymptomatic carriage of SARS- CoV-2 by a large proportion of children seems to be a major factor driving community spread. Some children with coronavirus disease 2019 may also present neurological findings. coronavirus disease 2019 infection is more severe in patients with comorbidities, and support therapy is important in these patients.

Cite this article as: Akif Guler M, Laloglu F, Orbak Z, Ceviz N, Islek A. Clinical features of children with COVID-19 infection: single-center experience. Eurasian J Med., 54(2):173-180.

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