The reported prevalence of chronic lung disease (CLD) due to coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pneumonia with severe acute respiratory syndrome in children is unknown and rarely reported in the English literature. In contrast to most other respiratory viruses, children generally have less severe symptoms when infected with SARS-CoV-2. Although only a minority of children with SARS-CoV-2 infection require hospitalization, severe cases have been reported. More severe SARS-CoV-2 respiratory disease in infants has been reported in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) compared to high income countries (HIC). We describe our experience of five cases of chronic lung disease in children due to SARS-CoV-2 collected between April 2020 and August 2022. We included children who had a history of a positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or antigen test or a positive antibody test in the serum. Three patterns of CLD related to SARS-CoV-2 were identified: (1) CLD in infants post-ventilation for severe pneumonia (n=3); (2) small airway disease with BO picture (n=1) and (3) adolescent with adult-like post SARS-CoV-2 disease (n=1). Chest CT-scans showed airspace disease and ground-glass opacities involving both lungs with development of coarse interstitial markings seen in 4 patients, reflecting the long-term fibrotic consequences of diffuse alveolar damage that occur in children post-SARS-CoV-2 infection. Children with SARS-CoV-2 infection mostly have mild symptoms with little to no long-term sequelae but severe long-term respiratory disease can develop.
【저자키워드】 Ventilation, Long COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, bronchiolitis obliterans, chronic lung disease,