Peripheral Blood Examination Findings in SARS-CoV-2 Infection in
Pediatric Patients
Abstract
Background The findings of peripheral blood examination (PBE) in
SARS-CoV2 infection in pediatrics patients have not been fully
described, the reports have been done on the adult population so far. In
this study we showed the characteristics in the PBE in SARS-CoV2
infection in the pediatric population. Methods Descriptive,
observational, longitudinal, prospective study. Information from the
medical records of pediatric patients < 17 years of age with a
diagnosis of SARS-COV-2 (positive PCR test) was analyzed and peripheral
blood smear examination was performed. Results 16 pediatric patients
with a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 /COVID-19 were evaluated. 100% of the
patients had PBE done, 62.50% (10/16) had no morphological alteration
of the erythroid cell line, the erythroid changes were: anisocytosis and
echinocytosis in 12.5% (2/16), in white cell line a predominance of
plasmacyte lymphocytes was found in 37.5% (6/16), followed by
hyposegmented neutrophils “Pelger-Huet anomaly” 31.25% (5/16),
hypersegmented neutrophils 12.5% (2/16) , atypical lymphocytes 18.75%
(3/16), granular lymphocytes in 6.25% (1/16), prolymphocytes in 6.25%
(1/16), hyposegmented eosinophils in 12.5% (2/16). Conclusion
Plasmacytoid lymphocytes and large granular lymphocyte are seen more
frequently in pediatric patients with COVID-19. Abnormalities in the
neutrophils with acquired Pelger-Huët anomaly (APHA) were important
findings in pediatric patients with COVID-19.