Clinical and demographic characteristics of children hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection

Authors

  • Patricia Barrios Universidad de la República, Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Pediátrica C
  • Lorena Pardo Universidad de la República, Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Pediátrica C, Departamento de Bacteriología y Virología
  • Fernanda Martínez Universidad de la República, Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Pediátrica C
  • Karina Malan Universidad de la República, Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Pediátrica C
  • Valeria Cardozo Universidad de la República, Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Pediátrica C
  • Teresa Toledo Administración de los Servicios de Salud del Estado, Centro Hospitalario Pereira Rossell
  • Héctor Telechea Universidad de la República, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos
  • Álvaro Galiana Administración de los Servicios de Salud del Estado, Centro Hospitalario Pereira Rossell
  • Gustavo Giachetto Universidad de la República, Facultad de Medicina, 1Clínica Pediátrica C

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29193/RMU.39.3.2

Keywords:

COVID-19, SARS-COV-2, RESPIRATORY INSUFFICIENCY, RESPIRATORY DISEASES, PEDIATRIC MULTISYSTEM INFLAMMATORY DISEASE

Abstract

Introduction: In March 2020, the first cases of SARS CoV-2 infection were registered in Uruguay and a health emergency was decreed. 
Objective: To describe the clinical and demographic characteristics of children under 15 years of age hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection from March 13, 2020, to September 30, 2021, at Pereira Rossell Pediatric Hospital, a public reference center in Uruguay.
Method: Descriptive, retrospective study describing age, clinical manifestations, comorbidities, severity and treatment. Results: A total of 207 children were hospitalized, with a frequency of 1.6%. The median (interquartile range) age was 1.5 years (3 months - 8 years); <1 year accounted for 44%, and 54% were male.  Comorbidities were present in 59 children. 71% of them were symptomatic, and among the symptomatic cases, 48% presented mild symptoms. Clinical manifestations were respiratory in 96 (65%) cases and non-respiratory in 51 (fever without a focus 15, gastrointestinal 19, viral exanthem 3, pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome 10, and atypical 3).  Thirty patients were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and 3 required invasive ventilation.  These patients had comorbidities, more days of fever, and required oxygen therapy compared to those who did not need ICU.  One 2-year-old patient with comorbidities died.
Conclusion: The hospitalization frequency was 1.6%. Most symptomatic children had mild forms of the disease. Among the symptomatic cases, respiratory manifestations were predominant. The findings from this series contribute to the understanding of the behavior of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children.

References

1) Organización Mundial de la Salud. COVID-19: cronología de la actuación de la OMS. Ginebra: OMS, abril 2020. Disponible en: https://www.who.int/es/news/item/27-04-2020-who-timeline---covid-19 (Consulta: 15 febrero 2022).
2) Organización Panamericana de la Salud / Organización Mundial de la Salud. Actualización epidemiológica: enfermedad del Coronavirus (COVID-19)-18 de septiembre de 2020. Washington, DC.: OPS/OMS; 2020. Disponible en: https://www.paho.org/es/documentos/actualizacion-epidemiologica-enfermedad-por-coronavirus-covid-19-18-septiembre-2020 (Consulta: 15 febrero 2022).
3) Decreto N° 93/020. Declaración de Estado de Emergencia Nacional Sanitaria como consecuencia de la pandemia originada por el virus COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS). Montevideo, 23 de marzo de 2020. Montevideo: IMPO, 2020. Disponible en: https://www.impo.com.uy/bases/decretos/93-2020 (Consulta: 27 mayo 2021).
4) Uruguay Presidencia. Grupo Asesor Científico Honorario. Disponible en: https://www.gub.uy/presidencia/gach (Consulta:11 febrero 2022).
5) GUIAD COVID/ datos y visualizaciones-GUIAD. Disponible en: https://github.com/GUIAD-COVID/datos-y-visualizaciones-GUIAD/blob/master/datos/estadisticasUY_p7nacional.csv (Consulta: 11 febrero 2022).
6) Rego N, Costábile A, Paz M, Salazar C, Perbolianachis P, Spangenberg L, et al. Real-time genomic surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, Uruguay. Emerg Infect Dis 2021; 27(11):2957-60. doi: 10.3201/eid2711.211198.
7) Moreno P, Moratorio G, Iraola G, Fajardo A, Aldunate F, Pereira-Gómez M. An effective COVID-19 response in South America: the Uruguayan Conundrum. MedRxiv 2020. doi: 10.1101/2020.07.24.20161802 (Consulta:16 febrero 2022).
8) Riphagen S, Gomez X, Gonzalez-Martinez C, Wilkinson N, Theocharis P. Hyperinflammatory shock in children during COVID-19 pandemic. Lancet 2020; 395(10237):1607-8. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31094-1.
9) Belot A, Antona D, Renolleau S, Javouhey E, Hentgen V, Angoul-vant F, et al. SARS-CoV-2-related paediatric inflammatory multi-system syndrome, an epidemiological study, France, 1 March to 17 May 2020. Euro Surveill 2020; 25(22) :2001010. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.22.2001010.
10) Dong Y, Mo X, Hu Y, Qi X, Jiang F, Jiang Z, et al. Epidemiology of COVID-19 among children in China. Pediatrics 2020; 145(6):e20200702. doi: 10.1542/peds.2020-0702.
11) Ludvigsson JF. Systematic review of COVID-19 in children shows milder cases and a better prognosis than adults. Acta Paediatr 2020; 109(6):1088-1095. doi: 10.1111/apa.15270.
12) Hillesheim D, Tomasi YT, Figueiró TH, Paiva KM de. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome due to COVID-19 among children and adolescents in Brazil: profile of deaths and hospital lethality as at Epidemiological Week 38, 2020. Epidemiol Serv Saúde 2020; 29(5):e2020644. doi: 10.1590/S1679-49742020000500021.
13) Uruguay. Ministerio de Salud Pública. Plan Nacional de Contingencia para la Infección (COVID-19) por el nuevo Coronavirus (SARS CoV2). Montevideo: MSP, marzo 2020. Disponible en: https://www.gub.uy/ministerio-salud-publica/comunicacion/publicaciones/plan-nacional-contingencia-para-infeccion-covid-19-nuevo-coronavirus (Consulta: 27 mayo 2022).
14) Organización Mundial de la Salud. Síndrome inflamatorio multisistémico en niños y adolescentes con COVID-19: informe científico. OMS, 5 mayo 2020.
15) Canadian Paediatric Society. Acute Care Committee. The acute management of COVID-19 in paediatrics (spring 2021 update). Disponible en: https://cps.ca/en/documents/position/the-acute-management-of-paediatric-coronavirus-disease-2019covid-19 [Consulta: 14 febrero 2022].
16) Storch-de-Gracia P, Leoz-Gordillo I, Andina D, Flores P, Villalobos E, Escalada-Pellitero S, et al. Espectro clínico y factores de riesgo de enfermedad complicada en niños ingresados con infección por SARS-CoV-2. An Pediatr 2020; 93(5):323-33. doi: 10.1016/j.anpedi.2020.07.025.
17) Uruguay. Ministerio de Salud Pública. Comunicado sobre casos COVID-19 en menores de 15 años - 30 de setiembre de 2021. Montevideo: MSP, 2021. Disponible en: https://www.gub.uy/ministerio-salud-publica/comunicacion/noticias/comunicado-sobre-casos-covid-19-menores-15-anos-30-setiembre-2021 (Consulta:11 febrero 2022).
18) Taylor L. Why Uruguay lost control of COVID. Nature 2021; 595(7865):21. doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-01714-4.
19) Götzinger F, Santiago-García B, Noguera-Julián A, Lanaspa M, Lancella L, Calò Carducci FI, et al. COVID-19 in children and adolescents in Europe: a multinational, multicentre cohort study. Lancet Child Adolesc Health 2020; 4(9):653-61. doi: 10.1016/S2352-4642(20)30177-2.
20) Zimmermann P, Curtis N. Coronavirus infections in children including COVID-19: an overview of the epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and prevention options in children. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2020; 39(5):355-68. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000002660.
21) Castagnoli R, Votto M, Licari A, Brambilla I, Bruno R, Perlini S, et al. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in children and adolescents: a systematic review. JAMA Pediatr 2020; 174(9):882-9. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.1467.
22) Zimmermann P, Curtis N. Why is COVID-19 less severe in children? A review of the proposed mechanisms underlying the age-related difference in severity of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Arch Dis Child 2020; 106(5):429-39. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2020-320338.
23) Pinchak MC, Hackembruch C, Algorta G, Rubio I, Montano A, Pirez MC, et al. Estrategia de atención hospitalaria de niños con infección respiratoria aguda baja. 2007; 78(1):15-22. Disponible en: http://www.scielo.edu.uy/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1688-12492007000100004&lng=es (Consulta:12 abril 2022).
24) Noli P, Geymonat M, Muñoz J, Saibene S, Dall’Orso P, Pinchak MC, et al. Infecciones respiratorias agudas bajas de causa viral en niños hospitalizados en el Centro Hospitalario Pereira Rossell. Características clínicas y terapéuticas. Arch Pediatr Urug 2012; 83(4):250-6. Disponible en: http://www.scielo.edu.uy/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1688-12492012000400002&lng=es [Consulta:12 abril 2022].
25) Pujadas M, Viera M, Galiana Á, Pírez C, García L, Kenny J, et al. Vigilancia de la infección por SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 en un hospital pediátrico. Arch Pediatr Urug 2022; 93(s1):e215 doi: /10.31134/ap.93.s1.10.
26) Bai GH, Shih PY, Chen SY, Hsieh KS, Chou CC, Feng PH, et al. Clinical features and characteristics of pediatric patients with COVID-19 infection: experiences in a Tertiary Taiwan Hospital. Medicine (Baltimore) 2022 ;101(35):e30157. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000030157.
27) Tsankov BK, Allaire JM, Irvine MA, Lopez AA, Sauvé LJ, Vallance BA, et al. Severe COVID-19 infection and pediatric comorbidities: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Infect Dis 2021; 103:246-56. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.11.163.
28) Chappell H, Patel R, Driessens C, Tarr AW, Irving WL, Tighe PJ, et al. Immunocompromised children and young people are at no increased risk of severe COVID-19. J Infect 2022; 84(1):31-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2021.11.005.
29) Parri N, Lenge M, Buonsenso D. Children with COVID-19 in Pediatric Emergency Departments in Italy. N Engl J Med 2020; 383(2):187-90. doi: 10.1056/NEJMc2007617.
30) Garazzino S, Montagnani C, Donà D, Meini A, Felici E, Vergine G, et al. Multicentre Italian study of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adolescents, preliminary data as at 10 April 2020. Euro Sur-veill 2020; 25(18):2000600. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.18.2000600.
31) Cofré F, Mackenney J, Poli C, Riquelme M, Carvajal C, Álvarez P, et al. Espectro clínico de la infección en niños por virus SARS-CoV-2 en un centro de referencia pediátrico en plena pandemia. Reporte del Comité Clínico COVID, Hospital de Niños Roberto del Río, Santiago Chile. Rev Chil Infectol 2020; 37(6):756–61. doi: 10.4067/S0716-10182020000600756.
32) Parri N, Magistà AM, Marchetti F, Cantoni B, Arrighini A, Romanengo M, et al. Characteristic of COVID-19 infection in pediatric patients: early findings from two Italian Pediatric Research Networks. Eur J Pediatr 2020; 179(8):1315-23. doi: 10.1007/s00431-020-03683-8.
33) Liguoro I, Pilotto C, Bonanni M, Ferrari ME, Pusiol A, Nocerino A, et al. SARS-COV-2 infection in children and newborns: a system-atic review. Eur J Pediatr 2020; 179(7):1029-46. doi: 10.1007/s00431-020-03684-7.
34) Palabiyik F, Kokurcan SO, Hatipoglu N, Cebeci SO, Inci E. Imag-ing of COVID-19 pneumonia in children. Br J Radiol 2020; 93(1113):20200647. doi: 10.1259/bjr.20200647.
35) Alvares PA. SARS-CoV-2 and respiratory syncytial virus coinfec-tion in hospitalized pediatric patients. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2021; 40(4):e164-e166. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000003057.
36) Yock-Corrales A, Lenzi J, Ulloa-Gutiérrez R, Gómez-Vargas J, An-túnez-Montes O, Rios Aida JA, et al. Acute abdomen and appendi-citis in 1010 pediatric patients with COVID-19 or MIS-C: a multi-national experience from Latin America. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2021; 40(10):e364-e369. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000003240.
37) Giovanni JE, Hrapcak S, Melgar M, Godfred-Cato S. Global reports of intussusception in infants with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2021; 40(1):e35-e36. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000002946.
38) De la Barra S, Izquierdo G, Rivacoba MC, Román G, Piñera C. Pancreatitis aguda asociada a infección por SARS-CoV-2 en un paciente pediátrico. Andes Pediatr 2021; 92(6):917-23. doi: 10.32641/andespediatr.v92i6.3360.
39) Sullivan JE, Grant H, Pérez Coulter AM, Tirabassi MV. Association between the SARS-Cov2 pandemic and pediatric surgical consultations. J Surg Res 2022; 279:299-303. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2022.06.019.
40) Ruvinsky S, Voto C, Roel M, Fustiñana A, Veliz N, Brizuela M, et al. Multisystem inflammatory syndrome temporally related to covid-19 in children from Latin America and the Caribbean region: a systematic review with a meta-analysis of data from regional surveillance systems. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:881765. doi: 10.3389/fped.2022.881765.
41) Belhadjer Z, Méot M, Bajolle F, Khraiche D, Legendre A, Abakka S, et al. Pediatric acute heart failure and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Circulation 2020; 142(5):429-36. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.048360.
42) Pujadas M, Viera M, Correa M, Pírez MC, García L, Kenny J, et al. Surveillance of SARS-COV-2 COVID 19 infection in a pediatric hospital. Uruguay period April 1, 2020-July 31, 2022. Internat J Health Sci 2022; 2(70):1-11. doi: 10.22533/at.ed.1592702215113.

Published

2023-08-21

How to Cite

1.
Barrios P, Pardo L, Martínez F, Malan K, Cardozo V, Toledo T, et al. Clinical and demographic characteristics of children hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Rev. Méd. Urug. [Internet]. 2023 Aug. 21 [cited 2024 Nov. 23];39(3):e202. Available from: https://revista.rmu.org.uy/index.php/rmu/article/view/1036

Most read articles by the same author(s)

<< < 1 2 3 4 > >>