Pneumonia During COVID-19 Pandemic in Hospitalized Children.
Characterization of SARS-COV2 Pneumonia . Multi-Center Cohort Study
Abstract
Abstract : Although COVID-19 is milder in young than adults. However, it
can cause pneumonia in children eventually requiring hospitalization.
Clinical similarity between COVID-19, other viral, and bacterial
pneumonia at initial presentation of the disease caused a great
challenge. We aimed to differentiate COVID-19 pneumonia from other viral
and bacterial pneumonia in children, and to characterize it . Materials
and Methods: This study included 300 children, who were hospitalized
with clinically and radiologically confirmed pneumonia during COVID-19
pandemic. Clinical symptoms were collected and analyzed . Cultures ,
real time polymerase chain transcriptase test for some respiratory
viruses and SARS-COV2, C-reactive protein, serum procalcitonin ,serum
ferritin , complete blood counts , and ferritin/procalcitonin ratio were
done for all patients Results: This study showed that COVID-19 pneumonia
was only 15 % of all admitted pneumonia cases. It had low proportion of
high fever , mild course, significant lymphopenia , significant
thrombocytopenia, low procalcitonin , low C-reactive protein , higher
ferritin / procalcitonin ratio , and higher neutrophil/ lymphocyte ratio
, significant high percentage of ground glass , and less percentage of
consolidation in CT images . Conclusion: During ( COVID-19) outbreak,
pneumonia due to COVID-19 was less common , and less severe than that
caused by other viruses or bacteria in children. Naso- pharyngeal swabs
for multi-respiratory pathogen, including SARS-COV-2, are required to
not to attribute most pneumonia cases to be due to COVID-19. However ,
further large-sample studies are needed to have full blown picture about
COVID-19 pneumonia in children.