tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Pediatr Intensive Care
. 2021 Sep 7;11(1):48-53.
doi: 10.1055/s-0041-1735493. eCollection 2022 Mar.
Evaluation of Suspected COVID-19 Patients in a Pediatric Emergency Department
Halise Akca[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Funda Kurt[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ayla Akca Caglar[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ahmet Alptug Güngör[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Aylin Irmak Kuruc[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Esma Büsra Gacal[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Simge Gisi[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Saliha Kanik Yüksek[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Halil Ibrahim Yakut[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Emine Dibek Misirlioglu[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Emrah Senel[SUP] 5 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is now a global pandemic. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of COVID-19 in pediatric patients and to compare the characteristics of positive and negative patients. This study conducted from March to May 2020 in a tertiary children's hospital. Patients were included if they were under 18 years old and a SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test had been performed. Of the 1,812 patients included in the study, 365 (20.1%) were positive for COVID-19. The median age was 102 months in the positive group, 70 months in the negative group ( p < 0.001). The sex distribution was almost equal. Nearly all positive patients had been in close contact with a COVID-19 infected family household member ( p < 0.001). The most common symptoms were fever (54.4%) and cough (38.6%). The asymptomatic patient rate was higher in the positive group ( p < 0.001). Lymphopenia (<1500/mm [SUP]3[/SUP] ) was found in 29.9% of the positive children ( p = 0.005). When the groups were compared, white blood cell, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and platelet counts; neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; and C-reactive protein level were lower in the positive group. Chest radiography was performed in 95.3% of the positive patients, and the results of 29.7% of them were interpreted as pathological ( p < 0.001). Most of the pediatric patients had a history of contact with COVID-19 positive individuals, and therefore, the diagnosis is generally suspected from a history of household exposure to COVID-19. Lymphopenia can help predict positivity. Awareness, reinforcing infection control measures, and performing health management within families are important steps to manage these patients.
Keywords: COVID-19; children; pandemic; pediatric emergency department.
. 2021 Sep 7;11(1):48-53.
doi: 10.1055/s-0041-1735493. eCollection 2022 Mar.
Evaluation of Suspected COVID-19 Patients in a Pediatric Emergency Department
Halise Akca[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Funda Kurt[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ayla Akca Caglar[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ahmet Alptug Güngör[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Aylin Irmak Kuruc[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Esma Büsra Gacal[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Simge Gisi[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Saliha Kanik Yüksek[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Halil Ibrahim Yakut[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Emine Dibek Misirlioglu[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Emrah Senel[SUP] 5 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 35186398
- PMCID: PMC8843405 (available on 2022-09-07)
- DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1735493
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is now a global pandemic. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of COVID-19 in pediatric patients and to compare the characteristics of positive and negative patients. This study conducted from March to May 2020 in a tertiary children's hospital. Patients were included if they were under 18 years old and a SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test had been performed. Of the 1,812 patients included in the study, 365 (20.1%) were positive for COVID-19. The median age was 102 months in the positive group, 70 months in the negative group ( p < 0.001). The sex distribution was almost equal. Nearly all positive patients had been in close contact with a COVID-19 infected family household member ( p < 0.001). The most common symptoms were fever (54.4%) and cough (38.6%). The asymptomatic patient rate was higher in the positive group ( p < 0.001). Lymphopenia (<1500/mm [SUP]3[/SUP] ) was found in 29.9% of the positive children ( p = 0.005). When the groups were compared, white blood cell, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and platelet counts; neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; and C-reactive protein level were lower in the positive group. Chest radiography was performed in 95.3% of the positive patients, and the results of 29.7% of them were interpreted as pathological ( p < 0.001). Most of the pediatric patients had a history of contact with COVID-19 positive individuals, and therefore, the diagnosis is generally suspected from a history of household exposure to COVID-19. Lymphopenia can help predict positivity. Awareness, reinforcing infection control measures, and performing health management within families are important steps to manage these patients.
Keywords: COVID-19; children; pandemic; pediatric emergency department.