Abstract
: As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to evolve, differences in epidemiological and clinical features among pediatrics have been noticed across different countries. We describe the spectrum of COVID-19 in pediatric patients treated in tertiary health care. We conducted a retrospective chart review of pediatric patients admitted to Indus Hospital & Health care network, Korangi campus, Karachi; from April 1st, 2020 to July 31st, 2020. A total of 141 COVID-19 cases were reported, males were 81 (57%) and the median age was 8 (0.3-17) years. Moderate and severe infections were noted in 36(26%), and 17(12%) children respectively. Fever (50%) was the most common clinical feature. The SF ratio less than 264 was significantly associated with severe disease (p < .05). Lab investigations that differed significantly across disease severity groups included IL-6 levels (p < .01) and Prothrombin time (p < .05). Majority of children were advised home isolation 89 (63%), 29 (20.5%) were admitted while mortality was observed in 10 (7%) children. No significant difference was observed between children with and without malignancy. Pre-existing comorbidities are significantly associated with COVID-19 infections among children. Reduced SF ratio, elevated Prothrombin time, and interleukin-6 levels are associated with greater disease severity.
Keywords: COVID-19; infections; interleukin-6; multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C); pandemics; pediatrics; tertiary healthcare.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, interleukin-6, pediatrics, infections, Pandemics, multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), tertiary healthcare., 【초록키워드】 coronavirus disease, Coronavirus disease 2019, Severe infection, pandemic, Health care, Mortality, IL-6, children, disease severity, Infection, Home isolation, interleukin-6, Comorbidity, MIS-C, pediatrics, Health, interleukin, healthcare, Pediatric patients, male, Pandemics, age, epidemiological, group, Spectrum, Care, clinical feature, prothrombin, retrospective, Inflammatory, severe disease, malignancy, IL-6 levels, Prothrombin time, Pediatric patient, significant difference, no significant difference, COVID-19 case, median age, COVID-19 infections, Karachi, syndrome, greater, significantly, reported, elevated, conducted, treated, less, IL-6 level, the median, with COVID-19, 【제목키워드】 children, hospital, outcome, clinical, healthcare, positive, feature,