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Yen CW, Lee J, Lee EP, Chang YJ, Yen PC, Chen CL, Chiu CH. Clinical characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 infection and its impact on pediatric emergency care in northern Taiwan. Pediatr Neonatol 2024:S1875-9572(24)00083-4. [PMID: 38853070 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedneo.2024.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 outbreak started in Taiwan in April 2022. The pandemic posed a challenge to pediatric emergency departments (PEDs) because of increased PED visits and diverse clinical presentations. METHODS We analyzed the clinical characteristics and impact of the Omicron BA.2 pandemic in patients who visited our PED from April 2022 to July 2022. The data from the Alpha variant pandemic during the same period in 2021 were compared with these findings. RESULTS Overall, 10,878 children were enrolled, and 7047 (64.8%) children were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. They had a mean ± SD age of 5.3 ± 4.1 years. The rates of patients with Pediatric Taiwan Triage and Acuity Scale (Ped-TTAS) level 1 (most urgent) (12.3%) and level 2 (27.6%) increased. More children were triaged as most urgent during the Omicron BA.2 pandemic than during the Alpha variant pandemic (p < 0.001). Patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection were likely to present with high fever, croup, dyspnea, febrile seizures, headache, dizziness, and myalgia (all p < 0.001). Four hundred and eleven (5.8%) patients were admitted; 25 (0.4%) patients needed intensive care, including 11 (44.0%) with encephalopathy or encephalitis. Three (0.04%) patients died due to fulminant encephalitis, encephalitis with septic shock, and respiratory failure. CONCLUSIONS The number of PED visits and the Ped-TTAS level of disease severity significantly increased during the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 outbreak. The most common symptom was fever, and high fever was more common in patients with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 infection. The rates of patients with croup and febrile seizures also increased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Wei Yen
- Division of Pediatric General Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Jung Lee
- Division of Pediatric General Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
| | - En-Pei Lee
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Jung Chang
- Division of Pediatric General Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Molecular Infectious Disease Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Po-Cheng Yen
- Department of Pharmacy Administration, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chyi-Liang Chen
- Molecular Infectious Disease Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
| | - Cheng-Hsun Chiu
- Molecular Infectious Disease Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
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Twum F, Tome J, Ledel E, Roy V, Mallhi AK, Aguirre D, Wei Y, Zhang J. The Diverging Trend in Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke Among US Children. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2024; 11:1718-1729. [PMID: 37326795 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-023-01645-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Environmental tobacco smoke exposure (ETSE) was race/ethnicity-specific, but how the race/ethnicity-specific ETSE has changed over time, diverging or converging, remains unclear. We examined ETSE trends by race/ethnicity in US children aged 3-11 years. METHODS We analyzed the data of 9678 children who participated in the biennial National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 1999-2018. ETSE was defined as serum cotinine ≥ 0.05 ng/ml, with ≥ 1 ng/ml as heavy exposure. For trend description, adjusted biennial prevalence ratios (abiPR: the ratio associated with a 2-year increase in time) were estimated by race/ethnicity. The prevalence ratios between races/ethnicities were used to quantify ethnoracial differences in different survey periods. Analyses were performed in 2021. RESULTS The overall ETSE prevalence was cut by almost half, from 61.59% (95% confidence interval = 56.55%, 66.62%) in the 1999-2004 survey to 37.61% (33.90%, 41.31%) in 2013-2018, exceeding the national 2020 health target (47.0%). However, the decrease occurred unequally between races/ethnicities. Heavy ETSE declined significantly in white [abiPR = 0.80 (0.74, 0.86)] and Hispanic children [0.83 (0.74, 0.93)], but insignificantly in black children [0.97 (0.92, 1.03)]. Consequently, the adjusted prevalence ratio between black children and white children increased from 0.82 (0.47, 1.44) in 1999-2004 to 2.73 (1.51, 4.92) in 2013-2018 for heavy ETSE. Hispanic children remained at the lowest risk throughout the study period. CONCLUSION Overall ETSE prevalence was cut by half between 1999 and 2018. However, due to uneven declines, the gaps between black children and others have expanded in heavy ETSE. Special vigilance is needed in preventive medicine practice with black children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Twum
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA.
- The Dr. Lynn Cook Hartwig Public Health Program, School of Health Professions, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, USA.
| | - Joana Tome
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA
| | - Erica Ledel
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA
| | - Victoria Roy
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA
| | - Arshpreet Kaur Mallhi
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA
| | - Diana Aguirre
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA
| | - Yudan Wei
- Department of Community Medicine, Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, GA, 31207, USA
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA
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Toledo-Romaní ME, Valenzuela-Silva C, Montero-Díaz M, Iñiguez-Rojas L, Rodríguez-González M, Martínez-Cabrera M, Puga-Gómez R, German-Almeida A, Fernández-Castillo S, Climent-Ruiz Y, Santana-Mederos D, López-González L, Morales-Suárez I, Doroud D, Valdés-Balbín Y, García-Rivera D, Van der Stuyft P, Vérez-Bencomo V. Real-world effectiveness of the heterologous SOBERANA-02 and SOBERANA-Plus vaccine scheme in 2-11 years-old children during the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron wave in Cuba: a longitudinal case-population study. LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. AMERICAS 2024; 34:100750. [PMID: 38699214 PMCID: PMC11063520 DOI: 10.1016/j.lana.2024.100750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Background Increased pediatric COVID-19 occurrence due to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has raised concerns about the effectiveness of existing vaccines. The protection provided by the SOBERANA-02-Plus vaccination scheme against this variant has not yet been studied. We aimed to evaluate the scheme's effectiveness against symptomatic Omicron infection and severe disease in children. Methods In September 2021, Cuba implemented a mass pediatric immunization with the heterologous SOBERANA-02-Plus scheme: 2 doses of conjugated SOBERANA-02 followed by a heterologous SOBERANA-Plus dose. By December, before the Omicron outbreak, 95.4% of 2-18 years-old had been fully immunized. During the entire Omicron wave, we conducted a nationwide longitudinal post-vaccination case-population study to evaluate the real-world effectiveness of the SOBERANA-02-Plus scheme against symptomatic infection and severe disease in children without previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. The identification of COVID-19 cases relied on surveillance through first line services, which refer clinical suspects to pediatric hospitals where they are diagnosed based on a positive RT-PCR test. We defined the Incidence Rate ratio (IRR) as IRvaccinated age group/IRunvaccinated 1-year-old and calculated vaccine effectiveness as VE = (1-IRR)∗100%. 24 months of age being the 'eligible for vaccination' cut-off, we used a regression discontinuity approach to estimate effectiveness by contrasting incidence in all unvaccinated 1-year-old versus vaccinated 2-years-old. Estimates in the vaccinated 3-11 years-old are reported from a descriptive perspective. Findings We included 1,098,817 fully vaccinated 2-11 years-old and 98,342 not vaccinated 1-year-old children. During the 24-week Omicron wave, there were 7003/26,241,176 person-weeks symptomatic COVID-19 infections in the vaccinated group (38.2 per 105 person-weeks in 2-years-old and 25.5 per 105 person-weeks in 3-11 years-old) against 3577/2,312,273 (154.7 per 105 person-weeks) in the unvaccinated group. The observed overall vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic infection was 75.3% (95% CI, 73.5-77.0%) in 2-years-old children, and 83.5% (95% CI, 82.8-84.2%) in 3-11 years-old. It was somewhat lower during Omicron BA.1 then during Omicron BA.2 variant circulation, which took place 1-3 and 4-6 months after the end of the vaccination campaign. The effectiveness against severe symptomatic disease was 100.0% (95% CI not estimated) and 94.6% (95% CI, 82.0-98.6%) in the respective age groups. No child death from COVID-19 was observed. Interpretation Immunization of 2-11 years-old with the SOBERANA-02-Plus scheme provided strong protection against symptomatic and severe disease caused by the Omicron variant, which was sustained during the six months post-vaccination follow-up. Our results contrast with the observations in previous real-world vaccine effectiveness studies in children, which might be explained by the type of immunity a conjugated protein-based vaccine induces and the vaccination strategy used. Funding National Fund for Science and Technology (FONCI-CITMA-Cuba).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Luisa Iñiguez-Rojas
- Latin-American Faculty of Social Sciences, Havana University, La Havana, Cuba
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Lissette López-González
- “Juan Manuel Marquez” Pediatric Hospital and National Group of Pediatric, Ministry of Public Health, Cuba
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Jinda T, Mizuno S, Tatami S, Kasai M, Ishida T. Risk factors for liver enzyme elevation with remdesivir use in the treatment of paediatric COVID-19. J Paediatr Child Health 2024. [PMID: 38818963 DOI: 10.1111/jpc.16569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
AIM Remdesivir (RDV) causes liver enzyme elevation in adults; however, the frequency of this elevation in children and the associated risk factors are largely unknown. Therefore, we aimed to examine risk factors for liver enzyme elevation in hospitalised paediatric patients who received RDV. METHODS This was a retrospective case-control study of all patients aged <18 years who were diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 and received RDV at a tertiary care hospital between February 2022 and September 2023. Demographic and clinical data were retrieved from the medical records and analysed. Patients with liver enzyme elevation were defined as cases, while those with no liver enzyme elevation were defined as controls. The two groups were compared and analysed for possible risk factors for liver enzyme elevation with RDV use. RESULTS Sixty-six patients were treated with RDV, 12 (18.2%) of whom developed liver enzyme elevation. Liver enzyme elevation was associated with the median duration of RDV administration (7.5 days vs. 3 days, P = 0.012), median total RDV dose (17.7 mg/kg vs. 10.3 mg/kg, P = 0.017) and acetaminophen use (67% vs. 22%) (odds ratio = 4.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-19.97, P = 0.023). All patients showed improvement, except three who had no liver enzyme measurements after having the highest aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase values during the observation period. CONCLUSION Liver enzyme elevation was reversible after discontinuing RDV use. Overall, RDV can be considered safe in children with careful monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsuyoshi Jinda
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Hyogo Prefectural Kobe Children's Hospital, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Mizuno
- Department of Pharmacy, Hyogo Prefectural Kobe Children's Hospital, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Tatami
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Hyogo Prefectural Kobe Children's Hospital, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Masashi Kasai
- Department of Pharmacy, Hyogo Prefectural Kobe Children's Hospital, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Tatsuhiko Ishida
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Hyogo Prefectural Kobe Children's Hospital, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
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Katayama Y, Tanaka K, Nakao S, Tachino J, Hirose T, Dohmi H, Kitamura T, Oda J, Matsuoka T. Factors associated with difficulty in hospital acceptance during the COVID-19 pandemic period in Osaka Prefecture, Japan: a population-based study. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1391519. [PMID: 38873305 PMCID: PMC11171416 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1391519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Background In many countries, emergency medical systems were responsible for initial treatment of patients with COVID-19. Generally, acceptance by medical institutions may not be sufficient, and it may take much time to determine the medical institution to which to transport the patient. This problem is termed "difficulty in hospital acceptance (DIH)," and it is used as a key performance indicator in the assessment of the EMS in Japan. The purpose of this study was to reveal the factors associated with the DIH during the COVID-19 pandemic using dataset in the ORION (Osaka emergency information Research Intelligent Operation Network system). Methods This was a retrospective descriptive study with a 3-year study period from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021. We included patients who were recorded in the ORION system during the study period. The primary endpoint was defined as DIH. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to assess factors associated with DIH during the COVID-19 pandemic and calculated their adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and associated 95% confidence interval (CI). Results 1,078,850 patients included in this study. Of them, 41,140 patients (3.8%) experienced DIH and 1,037,710 patients (96.2%) did not experience DIH. The median age was 71 years (IQR: 45-82), and 543,760 patients (50.4%) were male. In this study, SpO2, body temperature, and epidemic period of COVID-19 were associated with difficulty in hospital acceptance. The highest AOR of SpO2 was 80% or less (AOR: 1.636, [95% CI: 1.532-1.748]), followed by 81-85% (AOR: 1.584, [95% CI: 1.459-1.721]). The highest AOR of body temperature was 38.0-38.9°C (AOR: 1.969 [95% CI: 1.897-2.043]), followed by 39°C or higher (AOR: 1.912 [95% CI: 1.829-1.998]). The highest AOR of epidemic period of COVID-19 was the 4th wave (AOR: 2.134, [95% CI: 2.065-2.205]), followed by the 3rd wave (AOR: 1.842, [95% CI: 1.785-1.901]). Conclusion In this study, we revealed factors associated with the DIH during the COVID-19 pandemic. As various factors are involved in the spread of an unknown infectious disease, it is necessary not only to plan in advance but also to take appropriate measures according to the situation in order to smoothly accept emergency patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Katayama
- The Working Group to Analyze the Emergency Medical Care System in Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Kenta Tanaka
- Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Division of Environmental Medicine and Population Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Shunichiro Nakao
- Department of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Jotaro Tachino
- Department of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Tomoya Hirose
- Department of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Hisaya Dohmi
- The Working Group to Analyze the Emergency Medical Care System in Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan
- Osaka Prefectural Government, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tetsuhisa Kitamura
- The Working Group to Analyze the Emergency Medical Care System in Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Division of Environmental Medicine and Population Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Jun Oda
- Department of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Matsuoka
- The Working Group to Analyze the Emergency Medical Care System in Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan
- Rinku General Medical Center, Izumisano, Japan
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Foxworthy B, Dai C, Davis EC, Xavier AC, Brackett J, Dickens D, Kahn A, Martinez I, Sharma A, Schwalm C, Foley J, Wilkes J, Bhatia S, Levine JM, Johnston EE, Wolfson JA. COVID-19 infection in children, adolescents, and young adults with Down syndrome and hematologic malignancies. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2024:e31082. [PMID: 38804869 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.31082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Children, adolescents, and young adults (CAYAs) with Down syndrome (DS) and hematologic malignancies are particularly vulnerable to infections and related complications. There are limited data regarding COVID-19 infections in this group. We aimed to understand the clinical course of COVID-19 in this population. METHODS This observational study leverages the de-identified clinical and sociodemographic data captured by the Pediatric Oncology COVID-19 Case Report Registry (POCC) regarding CAYAs with cancer and COVID-19. We evaluated CAYAs (≤21 years at COVID-19 infection) with hematologic malignancies and COVID-19 reported from April 1, 2020 to May 2, 2023, comparing those with and without DS. Using multivariable logistic regression, we examined rates of hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, respiratory support, and changes in cancer-directed therapy. RESULTS Among 1408 CAYAs with hematologic malignancies, 55 had DS (CAYA-DS). CAYA-DS had higher rates of hospitalization, ICU admission, and respiratory support (p < .001) than CAYAs without DS. Similarly, multivariable analyses found higher odds of hospitalization (odds ratio [OR] = 2.8, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5-5.1), ICU admission (OR = 4.2, 95% CI: 1.9-9.1), and need for respiratory support (OR = 4.2, 95% CI: 2.0-8.8) among CAYA-DS. Modifications to cancer-directed therapy were more common among CAYA-DS when related to neutropenia (p = .001), but not when unrelated to neutropenia (p = .88); CAYA-DS did not have higher odds of changes to cancer-directed therapy (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 0.7-2.1). CONCLUSIONS We identify CAYA-DS with hematologic malignancies as a vulnerable subpopulation at greater risk for severe COVID-19 infection. This can inform conversations with patients and families regarding therapeutic and preventive measures, as well as the risks and benefits of modifying chemotherapy in the setting of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake Foxworthy
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Chen Dai
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | | | - Ana C Xavier
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Julienne Brackett
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - David Dickens
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Alissa Kahn
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Saint Joseph's University Medical Center, Paterson, New Jersey, USA
| | - Isaac Martinez
- Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Archana Sharma
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Carla Schwalm
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
| | - Jessica Foley
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
| | - Jennifer Wilkes
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Cancer and Blood Disorders, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Smita Bhatia
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
- Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Jennifer M Levine
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Emily E Johnston
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
- Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Julie A Wolfson
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
- Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
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Borgi A, Meftah K, Trabelsi I, Kyaw MH, Zaghden H, Bouafsoun A, Mezghani F, Missaoui N, Abdel Ali A, Essaddam L, Khemiri H, Haddad-Boubaker S, Boussetta K, Khemiri M, Ben Becher S, Boukthir S, Triki H, Menif K, Smaoui H. Retrospective Analysis of Clinical Characteristics and Disease Outcomes in Children and Adolescents Hospitalized Due to COVID-19 Infection in Tunisia. Viruses 2024; 16:779. [PMID: 38793660 PMCID: PMC11125722 DOI: 10.3390/v16050779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Due to low susceptibility of coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) in children, limited studies are available regarding COVID-19 in the pediatric population in Tunisia. The current study evaluated the incidence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection among children hospitalized at Béchir Hamza Children's Hospital. A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted using the hospital database between March 2020 and February 2022 with children aged ≤15 years with SARS-CoV-2 infection (confirmed by RT-PCR). A total of 327 COVID-19 hospitalized patients with a mean age of 3.3 years were included; the majority were male. Neurological disease (20%) was the most common comorbidity, while fever (95.3%) followed by cough (43.7%) and dyspnea (39.6%) were the most frequent symptoms reported. Severe disease with oxygen requirement occurred in 30% of the patients; 13% were admitted in the Intensive Care Unit. The overall incidence rate of COVID-19 hospitalization (in Tunis governorates) was 77.02 per 100,000 while the inpatient case fatality rate was 5% in the study population. The most prevalent circulating variant during our study period was Delta (48.8%), followed by Omicron (26%). More than 45% of the study population were <6 months and one-fourth (n = 25, 26.5%) had at least one comorbidity. Thus, the study findings highlight the high disease burden of COVID-19 in infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Borgi
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Children’s Hospital of Tunis, Tunis 1007, Tunisia; (A.B.); (K.M.)
| | - Khaoula Meftah
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Children’s Hospital of Tunis, Tunis 1007, Tunisia; (K.M.)
| | - Ines Trabelsi
- Pediatric Department B, Children’s Hospital of Tunis, Tunis 1007, Tunisia; (I.T.)
| | | | | | - Aida Bouafsoun
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Children’s Hospital of Tunis, Tunis 1007, Tunisia; (K.M.)
| | - Fatma Mezghani
- Pediatric Department A, Children’s Hospital of Tunis, Tunis 1007, Tunisia
| | - Nada Missaoui
- Pediatric Department C, Children’s Hospital of Tunis, Tunis 1007, Tunisia
| | - Alya Abdel Ali
- Department of Pediatrics and Emergency, Children’s Hospital of Tunis, Tunis 1007, Tunisia
| | - Leila Essaddam
- Department of Pediatrics and Emergency, Children’s Hospital of Tunis, Tunis 1007, Tunisia
| | - Haifa Khemiri
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Regional Reference Laboratory for Poliomyelitis and Measles for the EMR, Institute Pasteur of Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia
| | - Sondes Haddad-Boubaker
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Regional Reference Laboratory for Poliomyelitis and Measles for the EMR, Institute Pasteur of Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia
| | - Khedija Boussetta
- Pediatric Department B, Children’s Hospital of Tunis, Tunis 1007, Tunisia; (I.T.)
| | - Monia Khemiri
- Pediatric Department A, Children’s Hospital of Tunis, Tunis 1007, Tunisia
| | - Saida Ben Becher
- Department of Pediatrics and Emergency, Children’s Hospital of Tunis, Tunis 1007, Tunisia
| | - Samir Boukthir
- Pediatric Department C, Children’s Hospital of Tunis, Tunis 1007, Tunisia
| | - Henda Triki
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Regional Reference Laboratory for Poliomyelitis and Measles for the EMR, Institute Pasteur of Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia
| | - Khaled Menif
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Children’s Hospital of Tunis, Tunis 1007, Tunisia; (A.B.); (K.M.)
| | - Hanen Smaoui
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Children’s Hospital of Tunis, Tunis 1007, Tunisia; (K.M.)
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Roca C, Asturizaga A, Villca N, Cabrera R, Copana-Olmos R, Aguilera-Avendano V, Estrada-Villarroel C, Forest-Yepez MA, Torrez-Santos M, Magne-Calle AF, Foronda-Rios MO, Pena-Helguero LM, Montalvo M, Torrez D, Toco M, Cespedes M, Davalos I, Bowman NM. Relationship between sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics and severity of COVID-19 in pediatric patients. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0283037. [PMID: 38713667 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 affects children less seriously than adults; however, severe cases and deaths are documented. This study objective is to determine socio-demographic, clinical and laboratory indicators associated with severe pediatric COVID-19 and mortality at hospital entrance. A multicenter, retrospective, cross-sectional study was performed in 13 tertiary hospitals in Bolivia. Clinical records were collected retrospectively from patients less than 18 years of age and positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. All variables were measured at hospital entrance; outcomes of interest were ICU admission and death. A score for disease severity was developed using a logistic regression model. 209 patients were included in the analysis. By the end of the study, 43 (20.6%) of children were admitted to the Intensive care unit (ICU), and 17 (8.1%) died. Five indicators were independently predictive of COVID-19 severity: age below 10 years OR: 3.3 (CI95%: 1.1-10.4), days with symptoms to medical care OR: 2.8 (CI95%: 1.2-6.5), breathing difficulty OR: 3.4 (CI95%: 1.4-8.2), vomiting OR: 3.3 (CI95%: 1.4-7.4), cutaneous lesions OR: 5.6 (CI95%: 1.9-16.6). Presence of three or more of these risk factors at hospital entrance predicted severe disease in COVID-19 positive children. Age, presence of underlying illness, male sex, breathing difficulty, and dehydration were predictive of death in COVID-19 children. Our study identifies several predictors of severe pediatric COVID-19 and death. Incorporating these predictors, we developed a tool that clinicians can use to identify children at high risk of severe COVID-19 in limited-resource settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Roca
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Adriana Asturizaga
- Pediatric Pneumology Department, Caja de Salud de la Banca Privada, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Nelson Villca
- Pediatric Pneumology Department, HODE Materno Infantil Hospital CNS, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Ramiro Cabrera
- Pediatric Pneumology Department, Mario Ortiz Children's Hospital, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
| | - Raul Copana-Olmos
- Covid19 Intensive Care Unit, Manuel A. Villarroel Children's Hospital, Cochabamba, Bolivia
- Maternal Infant Department, Medicine Faculty San Simon University, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Monica Montalvo
- Pediatric Pneumology Department, Mario Ortiz Children's Hospital, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
| | - Delina Torrez
- Pediatric Intensive Care Department, Materno Infantil Hospital CNS, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
| | - Mirna Toco
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Cooperación Corea, Oruro, Bolivia
| | - Miguel Cespedes
- Pediatric Department, Bolivian Japanese Hospital Materno Infantil, Trinidad, Beni, Bolivia
| | - Ingrid Davalos
- Pediatric Intensive Care Department, North Hospital, El Alto, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Natalie M Bowman
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
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Martinelli M, Strisciuglio C, Lu P, Lev MRB, Beinvogl B, Di Lorenzo C, Cenni S, Nurko S, Pearlstein H, Rosen R, Shamir R, Staiano A. Impact of Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in children with functional abdominal pain disorders: Data from long-term follow-up. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2024. [PMID: 38698661 DOI: 10.1002/jpn3.12225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We aimed to compare symptom frequency and severity in children with functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) and to evaluate anxiety, quality of life (QoL) and global health during Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) related quarantine and after 17 months. METHODS Children diagnosed with FAPDs between October 2019 and February 2020 at 5 different centers were enrolled and prospectively interviewed during the COVID-19 quarantine and 17 months later when schools, hospital services, and routine activities had re-opened to the public. The patients were asked to complete the Rome IV questionnaire, the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL 4.0) Generic Core Scale, the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) anxiety and global health questionnaires. Data about COVID-19 infection and its clinical outcome were also collected. RESULTS Ninety-nine out of 180 (55%) children completed the follow-up. The number of patients reporting a worsening of their symptoms was significantly higher at follow-up when compared to the quarantine period (24/99 [24.2%] vs. 12/99 [12.1%]; p = 0.04). The PedsQL 4.0 subtotal score at follow-up significantly decreased at 17 months of follow-up (65.57 [0-100]) when compared to the quarantine (71 [0-100], p = 0.03). Emotional functioning was the most significantly reduced (Follow-up: 64.7 [0-100] vs. Quarantine: 75 [0-100]; p = 0.006). We did not identify significant differences in symptoms and QoL between COVID-19 infected children and the remaining cohort at the two time points. CONCLUSIONS An improvement of symptoms and QoL was observed during the quarantine, followed by a worsening at-follow-up. These findings reinforce the hypothesis that the nest effect overweighted COVID-19 fears during the quarantine and highlight the importance of psychological factors in symptom exacerbation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Martinelli
- Department of Translational Medical Science, Section of Pediatrics, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Caterina Strisciuglio
- Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialistic Surgery, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli, Italy
| | - Peter Lu
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Michal Rozenfeld Bar Lev
- Institute of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Nutrition, and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Petach Tikvah, Israel
| | - Beate Beinvogl
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Carlo Di Lorenzo
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Sabrina Cenni
- Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialistic Surgery, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli, Italy
| | - Samuel Nurko
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Haley Pearlstein
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Rachel Rosen
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Raanan Shamir
- Institute of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Nutrition, and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Petach Tikvah, Israel
| | - Annamaria Staiano
- Department of Translational Medical Science, Section of Pediatrics, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
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10
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Alshami A, Bahbah H, Al Attas R, Aldokhi F, Azzam A. The humoral immune response to the BNT 162B2 vaccine in pediatrics on renal replacement therapy. Pediatr Transplant 2024; 28:e14712. [PMID: 38553800 DOI: 10.1111/petr.14712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, data published on the immunogenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 BNT 162B2 vaccine in pediatric patients receiving renal replacement therapy are scant. Our primary objective is to study this population's humoral immune response to the COVID-19 vaccine. METHODS Pediatric kidney transplant recipients (PKTRs) and hemodialysis recipients (HR) at our center who received two doses of the SARS-CoV-2 BNT 162B2 vaccine were included. Transplant and HR who had PCR-positive COVID-19 infections during the study, regardless of their vaccine status, were also included. SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike protein (S1/S2) IgG was measured after the second dose of the vaccine and after any PCR-positive COVID-19 infection as routine clinical practice. Data on demographics, induction, maintenance immunosuppressants, type of transplant, and posttransplant or dialysis duration were included. RESULTS Of the 61 patients included, 19 were dialysis recipients who received two doses of vaccine without subsequent infection (HV), and 42 were kidney transplant recipients. All dialysis patients and 33 (78.6%) transplant recipients received two doses of the SARS-CoV-2 BNT 162b2 vaccine. A total of 33.3% (11/33) of the transplant recipients who received vaccination developed COVID-19 infection (KTH) at a median time of 13 days after the second dose of vaccine. Nine transplant patients had pure COVID-19 infection without vaccination (KTI). The seroconversion rate in the HV group was 94.7% (18/19) compared to 50% (11/22) in the kidney transplant vaccine recipients who did not develop subsequent COVID-19 infection (KTV) (p < .001). The median S1/S2 IgG titers for the HV group were 400 AU/mL versus 15 AU/mL in the KTV group (p < .0001). There was no significant difference in the duration of the test from the second dose of the vaccine between HV and KTV (55 vs. 33.5 days, p = .095). The KTH had higher titers than KTV group (370 vs. 15 p < .0001). The median duration of the test after vaccination in the vaccine group and those with hybrid immunity was similar (35 vs. 33.5 days, p = .2).There were no clear predictors for seroconversion in the PKTRs. Natural infection alone was as good as the vaccine in eliciting humoral immune response. CONCLUSION The humoral immune response to two doses of the SARS-CoV-2 BNT 162B2 vaccine in PKTRs without subsequent COVID-19 infection is suboptimal compared to that in hemodialysis recipients and in PKTRs with hybrid immunity from both infection and vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alanoud Alshami
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology and Kidney Transplant, Multiorgan Transplant Center, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hebattallah Bahbah
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology and Kidney Transplant, Multiorgan Transplant Center, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rabab Al Attas
- Division of Immunology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fatimah Aldokhi
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology and Kidney Transplant, Multiorgan Transplant Center, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad Azzam
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology and Kidney Transplant, Multiorgan Transplant Center, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
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Temocin F, Çaycı YT, Seren C, Kuruoglu T, Atilla A, Birinci A, Tanyel E. Investigation of Anti-SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG Levels in Breast Milk after Vaccination or COVID-19 Infection. Am J Perinatol 2024; 41:e3085-e3090. [PMID: 37846474 DOI: 10.1055/a-2192-0655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Newborns are vulnerable to all types of infections due to their developing immune system. To compensate for their immune immaturity, newborns rely on the passive transfer of antibodies through the placenta and own mother's breast milk (BM). In the present study, we investigated whether vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 leads to the presence of antibodies in BM. Furthermore, we compared the levels of SARS-CoV-2-specific anti-spike (anti-S) IgG antibodies in the BM of mothers who were vaccinated against Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or had coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection naturally or were vaccinated after natural infection. STUDY DESIGN This was a prospective cohort study conducted in the Ondokuz Mayis University Faculty of Medicine. Forty-six mothers who had at least two doses of the BNT162b2 messenger RNA-based vaccine and/or had a history of symptomatic COVID-19 infection were included in the study. BM samples were analyzed by the Abbott Architect SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant kit following the manufacturer's instructions. RESULTS Forty-six mothers with an average age of 29.7 ± 5.7 years participated the study: 18 (39.1%) had COVID-19 infection + BTN162b2 vaccine, 17 (37.0%) had BTN162b2 vaccine, and 11 (23.9%) had natural infection. The highest SARS-CoV-2-specific anti-S IgG antibody titers in BM were found in mothers who were vaccinated following the infection (anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG: 32.48 ± 57.1 arbitrary units AU/mL). However, no significant difference in anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels was observed between the three groups (p = 0.641). No antibody was detected in 15.2% of BM samples. CONCLUSION Both vaccination and natural COVID-19 infection during pregnancy leads to the passive transfer of specific anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies to BM. These results are important to overcome vaccine hesitancy and increase vaccination levels in expectant mothers. KEY POINTS · We investigated the levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in BM after natural infection and vaccination.. · Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies were detected in 39 (84.8%) BM samples.. · The highest titers in BM were found in mothers who were vaccinated following natural infection..
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatih Temocin
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Ondokuz Mayıs University, School of Medicine, Samsun, Türkiye
| | - Yeliz Tanrıverdi Çaycı
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Ondokuz Mayis University, School of Medicine, Samsun, Türkiye
| | - Canan Seren
- Department of Neonatology, Ondokuz Mayis University, School of Medicine, Samsun, Türkiye
| | - Tuba Kuruoglu
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Ondokuz Mayıs University, School of Medicine, Samsun, Türkiye
| | - Aynur Atilla
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Ondokuz Mayıs University, School of Medicine, Samsun, Türkiye
| | - Asuman Birinci
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Ondokuz Mayis University, School of Medicine, Samsun, Türkiye
| | - Esra Tanyel
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Ondokuz Mayıs University, School of Medicine, Samsun, Türkiye
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12
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Marino A, Cacciaguerra G, Spampinato S, Palermo M, Biasco A, Liotta E, Cocuzza S, Venanzi Rullo E, Nunnari G, Pavone P. SARS-CoV-2 associated unilateral parotitis in children: A case report and literature review. Biomed Rep 2024; 20:83. [PMID: 38628628 PMCID: PMC11019641 DOI: 10.3892/br.2024.1771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection usually affects the respiratory system; however, a number of atypical manifestations of this disease have also been reported, especially in children. The present study reports a case of a 12-year-old presenting with right unilateral parotitis and sialadenitis and SARS-CoV-2 infection. The young patient, after a 3-day history of fever, was brought to our clinic (Polyclinic University Hospital 'G. Rodolico', Catania, Italy) for the sudden onset of unilateral parotitis accompanied by sialadenitis and hyperaemia of the skin, which was tender to touch. The SARS-CoV-2 molecular swab was positive; the ultrasound of the affected region showed an increase in the volume of the parotid and sublingual gland and reactive lymph nodes compatible with parotitis and sialadenitis. This case suggests that, in the present Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 should be included in the differential diagnosis of parotitis and sialadenitis along with mumps and flue. Notably, a respiratory panel and serology for other potential causes are needed in case of parotitis-like disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Marino
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Catania, ARNAS Garibaldi Hospital, I-95122 Catania, Italy
| | - Giovanni Cacciaguerra
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Paediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Specialization in Paediatrics, University of Catania, I-95124 Catania, Italy
| | - Serena Spampinato
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Catania, ARNAS Garibaldi Hospital, I-95122 Catania, Italy
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, I-98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Monica Palermo
- Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies ‘GF Ingrassia’, Radiology Unit 1, University of Catania, I-95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Arturo Biasco
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Paediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Specialization in Paediatrics, University of Catania, I-95124 Catania, Italy
| | - Emanuele Liotta
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Paediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Specialization in Paediatrics, University of Catania, I-95124 Catania, Italy
| | - Salvatore Cocuzza
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies ‘GF Ingrassia’, ENT Section, University of Catania, I-95124 Catania, Italy
| | - Emmanuele Venanzi Rullo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, I-98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Nunnari
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Catania, ARNAS Garibaldi Hospital, I-95122 Catania, Italy
| | - Piero Pavone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Paediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Specialization in Paediatrics, University of Catania, I-95124 Catania, Italy
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Tang L, Guo Y, Shu C, Peng X, Qiu S, Li R, Liu P, Wei H, Liao S, Du Y, Guo D, Gao N, Zeng QL, Liu X, Ji F. Neurological manifestations and risk factors associated with poor prognosis in hospitalized children with Omicron variant infection. Eur J Pediatr 2024; 183:2353-2363. [PMID: 38429545 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-024-05495-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
There are increasing reports of neurological manifestation in children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the frequency and clinical outcomes of in hospitalized children infected with the Omicron variant are unknown. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics, neurological manifestations, and risk factor associated with poor prognosis of hospitalized children suffering from COVID-19 due to the Omicron variant. Participants included children older than 28 days and younger than 18 years. Patients were recruited from December 10, 2022 through January 5, 2023. They were followed up for 30 days. A total of 509 pediatric patients hospitalized with the Omicron variant infection were recruited into the study. Among them, 167 (32.81%) patients had neurological manifestations. The most common manifestations were febrile convulsions (n = 90, 53.89%), viral encephalitis (n = 34, 20.36%), epilepsy (n = 23, 13.77%), hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (n = 9, 5.39%), and acute necrotizing encephalopathy (n = 6, 3.59%). At discharge, 92.81% of patients had a good prognosis according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale (scores ≥ 4). However, 7.19% had a poor prognosis. Eight patients died during the follow-up period with a cumulative 30-day mortality rate of 4.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5-8.1). Multivariate analysis revealed that albumin (odds ratio 0.711, 95% CI 0.556-0.910) and creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) levels (odds ratio 1.033, 95% CI 1.004-1.063) were independent risk factors of poor prognosis due to neurological manifestations. The area under the curve for the prediction of poor prognosis with albumin and CK-MB was 0.915 (95%CI 0.799-1.000), indicating that these factors can accurately predict a poor prognosis. Conclusion: In this study, 32.8% of hospitalized children suffering from COVID-19 due to the Omicron variant infection experienced neurological manifestations. Baseline albumin and CK-MB levels could accurately predict poor prognosis in this patient population. What is Known: • Neurological injury has been reported in SARS-CoV-2 infection; compared with other strains, the Omicron strain is more likely to cause neurological manifestations in adults. • Neurologic injury in adults such as cerebral hemorrhage and epilepsy has been reported in patients with Omicron variant infection. What is New: • One-third hospitalized children with Omicron infection experience neurological manifestations, including central nervous system manifestations and peripheral nervous system manifestations. • Albumin and CK-MB combined can accurately predict poor prognosis (AUC 0.915), and the 30-day mortality rate of children with Omicron variant infection and neurological manifestations was 4.8%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Tang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xi'an Jiaotong University Affiliated Children's Hospital, No. 69 Xi Ju Yuan Alley, Xi'an, 710003, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yuxin Guo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Second Affiliated Hospital Xi'an Jiaotong University, No.157 Xi Wu Road, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chang Shu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xi'an Jiaotong University Affiliated Children's Hospital, No. 69 Xi Ju Yuan Alley, Xi'an, 710003, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiaokang Peng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xi'an Jiaotong University Affiliated Children's Hospital, No. 69 Xi Ju Yuan Alley, Xi'an, 710003, Shaanxi, China
| | - Sikai Qiu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Second Affiliated Hospital Xi'an Jiaotong University, No.157 Xi Wu Road, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ruina Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xi'an Jiaotong University Affiliated Children's Hospital, No. 69 Xi Ju Yuan Alley, Xi'an, 710003, Shaanxi, China
| | - Pan Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xi'an Jiaotong University Affiliated Children's Hospital, No. 69 Xi Ju Yuan Alley, Xi'an, 710003, Shaanxi, China
| | - Huijing Wei
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xi'an Jiaotong University Affiliated Children's Hospital, No. 69 Xi Ju Yuan Alley, Xi'an, 710003, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shan Liao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xi'an Jiaotong University Affiliated Children's Hospital, No. 69 Xi Ju Yuan Alley, Xi'an, 710003, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yali Du
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xi'an Jiaotong University Affiliated Children's Hospital, No. 69 Xi Ju Yuan Alley, Xi'an, 710003, Shaanxi, China
| | - Dandan Guo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xi'an Jiaotong University Affiliated Children's Hospital, No. 69 Xi Ju Yuan Alley, Xi'an, 710003, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ning Gao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Second Affiliated Hospital Xi'an Jiaotong University, No.157 Xi Wu Road, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qing-Lei Zeng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1, Eastern Jianshe Road, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.
| | - Xiaoguai Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xi'an Jiaotong University Affiliated Children's Hospital, No. 69 Xi Ju Yuan Alley, Xi'an, 710003, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Fanpu Ji
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the Second Affiliated Hospital Xi'an Jiaotong University, No.157 Xi Wu Road, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi, China.
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases (Xi'an Jiaotong University) Ministry of Education of China, Xi'an, China.
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biodiagnosis and Biotherapy, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
- Shaanxi Provincial Clinical Medical Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
- Key Laboratory of Surgical Critical Care and Life Support (Xi'an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education, Shaanxi, China.
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14
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Chávez-Pacheco JL, Castillejos-López M, Hernández-Regino LM, Velasco-Hidalgo L, Zapata-Tarres M, Correa-Carranza V, Rosario-Méndez G, Barrientos-Ríos R, Aquino-Gálvez A, Torres-Espíndola LM. Challenges in Treating Pediatric Cancer Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Balancing Risks and Care. Viruses 2024; 16:690. [PMID: 38793571 PMCID: PMC11125850 DOI: 10.3390/v16050690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in millions of fatalities worldwide. The case of pediatric cancer patients stands out since, despite being considered a population at risk, few studies have been carried out concerning symptom detection or the description of the mechanisms capable of modifying the course of the COVID-19 disease, such as the interaction and response between the virus and the treatment given to cancer patients. By synthesizing existing studies, this paper aims to expose the treatment challenges for pediatric patients with COVID-19 in an oncology context. Additionally, this updated review includes studies that utilized the antiviral agents Remdesivir and PaxlovidTM in pediatric cancer patients. There is no specific treatment designed exclusively for pediatric cancer patients dealing with COVID-19, and it is advisable to avoid self-medication to prevent potential side effects. Managing COVID-19 in pediatric cancer patients is indeed a substantial challenge. New strategies, such as chemotherapy application rooms, have been implemented for children with cancer who were positive for COVID-19 but asymptomatic since the risk of disease progression is greater than the risk of complications from SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Luis Chávez-Pacheco
- Pharmacology Laboratory, National Institute of Pediatrics, Mexico City 04530, Mexico; (J.L.C.-P.); (L.M.H.-R.); (V.C.-C.); (G.R.-M.)
| | - Manuel Castillejos-López
- Epidemiology and Infectology, National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Mexico City 14080, Mexico;
| | - Laura M. Hernández-Regino
- Pharmacology Laboratory, National Institute of Pediatrics, Mexico City 04530, Mexico; (J.L.C.-P.); (L.M.H.-R.); (V.C.-C.); (G.R.-M.)
| | | | - Marta Zapata-Tarres
- Head of Research Coordination at Mexican Social Security Institute Foundation, Mexico City 06600, Mexico;
| | - Valeria Correa-Carranza
- Pharmacology Laboratory, National Institute of Pediatrics, Mexico City 04530, Mexico; (J.L.C.-P.); (L.M.H.-R.); (V.C.-C.); (G.R.-M.)
| | - Guillermo Rosario-Méndez
- Pharmacology Laboratory, National Institute of Pediatrics, Mexico City 04530, Mexico; (J.L.C.-P.); (L.M.H.-R.); (V.C.-C.); (G.R.-M.)
| | - Rehotbevely Barrientos-Ríos
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Human Genetics, National Institute of Pediatrics, Mexico City 04530, Mexico;
| | - Arnoldo Aquino-Gálvez
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Pulmonary Fibrosis Department, National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
| | - Luz María Torres-Espíndola
- Pharmacology Laboratory, National Institute of Pediatrics, Mexico City 04530, Mexico; (J.L.C.-P.); (L.M.H.-R.); (V.C.-C.); (G.R.-M.)
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15
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Acosta E, Hug L, Cruz-Castanheira H, Sharrow D, Monteiro da Silva JH, You D. Changes in stillbirths and child and youth mortality in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Int J Epidemiol 2024; 53:dyae057. [PMID: 38622491 PMCID: PMC11018542 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyae057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has been extensively studied for its impact on mortality, particularly in older age groups. However, the pandemic effects on stillbirths and mortality rates in neonates, infants, children and youth remain poorly understood. This study comprehensively analyses the pandemic influence on young mortality and stillbirths across 112 countries and territories in 2020 and 104 in 2021. METHODS Using data from civil registers and vital statistics systems (CRVS) and the Health Management Information System (HMIS), we estimate expected mortality levels in a non-pandemic setting and relative mortality changes (p-scores) through generalized linear models. The analysis focuses on the distribution of country-specific mortality changes and the proportion of countries experiencing deficits, no changes and excess mortality in each age group. RESULTS Results show that stillbirths and under-25 mortality were as expected in most countries during 2020 and 2021. However, among countries with changes, more experienced deficits than excess mortality, except for stillbirths, neonates and those aged 10-24 in 2021, where, despite the predominance of no changes, excess mortality prevailed. Notably, a fifth of examined countries saw increases in stillbirths and a quarter in young adult mortality (20-24) in 2021. Our findings are highly consistent between females and males and similar across income levels. CONCLUSION Despite global disruptions to essential services, stillbirths and youth mortality were as expected in most observed countries, challenging initial hypotheses. However, the study suggests the possibility of delayed adverse effects that require more time to manifest at the population level. Understanding the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic requires ongoing, long-term monitoring of health and deaths among children and youth, particularly in low- and lower-middle-income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique Acosta
- Centre d’Estudis Demogràfics (CED), Barcelona, Spain
- Laboratory of Population Health, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR), Rostock, Germany
| | - Lucia Hug
- Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring, UNICEF, New York, USA
| | | | - David Sharrow
- Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring, UNICEF, New York, USA
| | | | - Danzhen You
- Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring, UNICEF, New York, USA
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16
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Pérez-Ardanaz B, Gutiérrez-Rodríguez L, Pelaez-Cantero MJ, Morales-Asencio JM, Gómez-González A, García-Piñero JM, Lupiañez-Perez I. Healthcare service use for children with chronic complex diseases: A longitudinal six-year follow-up study. J Pediatr Nurs 2024:S0882-5963(24)00119-2. [PMID: 38594165 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedn.2024.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The objective was analysed the patterns use of healthcare services of this population and the influence of their clinical and sociodemographic characteristics. DESIGN AND METHODS A six-year longitudinal follow-up study was performed to evaluate the annual healthcare resources use and clinical data among children with complex chronic diseases in Spain between 2015 and 2021. The sample trends in healthcare usage and the associated factors were analysed using ANCOVA and multivariable linear regression models. RESULTS Patients had high attendance during the follow-up period, with >15 episodes year. This trend decreased over time, especially in children with oncological diseases compared with other diseases (F (16.75; 825.4) = 32.457; p < 0.001). A multivariable model showed that children with a greater number of comorbidities (β = 0.17), shorter survival time (β = -0.23), who had contact with the palliative care unit (β = 0.16), and whose mothers had a higher professional occupation (β = 0.14), had a greater use of the healthcare system. CONCLUSIONS Children with a higher number of comorbidities and the use of medical devices made a greater frequentation of health services, showing a trend of decreasing use over time. Socioeconomic factors such as mothers' occupational status determine healthcare frequentation. These results suggest the existence of persistent gaps in care coordination sustained over time. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Systematized and coordinated models of care for this population should consider the presence of inequalities in health care use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bibiana Pérez-Ardanaz
- Universidad de Málaga, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-Bionand (IBIMA), Spain.
| | - Laura Gutiérrez-Rodríguez
- Universidad de Málaga, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-Bionand (IBIMA), Spain.
| | | | - José Miguel Morales-Asencio
- Universidad de Málaga, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-Bionand (IBIMA), Spain.
| | - Alberto Gómez-González
- Universidad de Málaga, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-Bionand (IBIMA), Spain.
| | - José Miguel García-Piñero
- Universidad de Málaga, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Spain; Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Materno-Infantil, Málaga, Spain
| | - Inmaculada Lupiañez-Perez
- Universidad de Málaga, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-Bionand (IBIMA), Spain.
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17
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McMurry AJ, Zipursky AR, Geva A, Olson KL, Jones JR, Ignatov V, Miller TA, Mandl KD. Moving Biosurveillance Beyond Coded Data Using AI for Symptom Detection From Physician Notes: Retrospective Cohort Study. J Med Internet Res 2024; 26:e53367. [PMID: 38573752 PMCID: PMC11027052 DOI: 10.2196/53367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Real-time surveillance of emerging infectious diseases necessitates a dynamically evolving, computable case definition, which frequently incorporates symptom-related criteria. For symptom detection, both population health monitoring platforms and research initiatives primarily depend on structured data extracted from electronic health records. OBJECTIVE This study sought to validate and test an artificial intelligence (AI)-based natural language processing (NLP) pipeline for detecting COVID-19 symptoms from physician notes in pediatric patients. We specifically study patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) who can be sentinel cases in an outbreak. METHODS Subjects in this retrospective cohort study are patients who are 21 years of age and younger, who presented to a pediatric ED at a large academic children's hospital between March 1, 2020, and May 31, 2022. The ED notes for all patients were processed with an NLP pipeline tuned to detect the mention of 11 COVID-19 symptoms based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria. For a gold standard, 3 subject matter experts labeled 226 ED notes and had strong agreement (F1-score=0.986; positive predictive value [PPV]=0.972; and sensitivity=1.0). F1-score, PPV, and sensitivity were used to compare the performance of both NLP and the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) coding to the gold standard chart review. As a formative use case, variations in symptom patterns were measured across SARS-CoV-2 variant eras. RESULTS There were 85,678 ED encounters during the study period, including 4% (n=3420) with patients with COVID-19. NLP was more accurate at identifying encounters with patients that had any of the COVID-19 symptoms (F1-score=0.796) than ICD-10 codes (F1-score =0.451). NLP accuracy was higher for positive symptoms (sensitivity=0.930) than ICD-10 (sensitivity=0.300). However, ICD-10 accuracy was higher for negative symptoms (specificity=0.994) than NLP (specificity=0.917). Congestion or runny nose showed the highest accuracy difference (NLP: F1-score=0.828 and ICD-10: F1-score=0.042). For encounters with patients with COVID-19, prevalence estimates of each NLP symptom differed across variant eras. Patients with COVID-19 were more likely to have each NLP symptom detected than patients without this disease. Effect sizes (odds ratios) varied across pandemic eras. CONCLUSIONS This study establishes the value of AI-based NLP as a highly effective tool for real-time COVID-19 symptom detection in pediatric patients, outperforming traditional ICD-10 methods. It also reveals the evolving nature of symptom prevalence across different virus variants, underscoring the need for dynamic, technology-driven approaches in infectious disease surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J McMurry
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Amy R Zipursky
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Alon Geva
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Karen L Olson
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - James R Jones
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Vladimir Ignatov
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Timothy A Miller
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kenneth D Mandl
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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18
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Li L, Liao H, Kuang X, Jin K. Clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19-associated encephalopathy in children. J Neurovirol 2024:10.1007/s13365-024-01202-1. [PMID: 38570476 DOI: 10.1007/s13365-024-01202-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Apart from the typical respiratory symptoms, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) also affects the central nervous system, leading to central disorders such as encephalopathy and encephalitis. However, knowledge of pediatric COVID-19-associated encephalopathy is limited, particularly regarding specific subtypes of encephalopathy. This study aimed to assess the features of COVID-19-associated encephalopathy/encephalitis in children. We retrospectively analyzed a single cohort of 13 hospitalized children with COVID-19-associated encephalopathy. The primary outcome was the descriptive analysis of the clinical characteristics, magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalography findings, treatment progression, and outcomes. Thirteen children among a total of 275 (5%) children with confirmed COVID-19 developed associated encephalopathy/encephalitis (median age, 35 months; range, 3-138 months). Autoimmune encephalitis was present in six patients, acute necrotizing encephalopathy in three, epilepsy in three, and central nervous system small-vessel vasculitis in one patient. Eight (62%) children presented with seizures. Six (46%) children exhibited elevated blood inflammatory indicators, cerebrospinal fluid inflammatory indicators, or both. Two (15%) critically ill children presented with multi-organ damage. The magnetic resonance imaging findings varied according to the type of encephalopathy/encephalitis. Electroencephalography revealed a slow background rhythm in all 13 children, often accompanied by epileptic discharges. Three (23%) children with acute necrotizing encephalopathy had poor prognoses despite immunotherapy and other treatments. Ten (77%) children demonstrated good functional recovery without relapse. This study highlights COVID-19 as a new trigger of encephalopathy/encephalitis in children. Autoimmune encephalitis is common, while acute necrotizing encephalopathy can induce poor outcomes. These findings provide valuable insights into the impact of COVID-19 on children's brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Li
- Department of Radiology, Hunan Children's Hospital, No. 86 Ziyuan Road, 410007, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Hongmei Liao
- Department of Radiology, Hunan Children's Hospital, No. 86 Ziyuan Road, 410007, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- Department of Neurology, Hunan Children's Hospital, No. 86 Ziyuan Road, 410007, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Xiaojun Kuang
- Department of Neurology, Hunan Children's Hospital, No. 86 Ziyuan Road, 410007, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Ke Jin
- Department of Radiology, Hunan Children's Hospital, No. 86 Ziyuan Road, 410007, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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19
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Sun YK, Wang C, Lin PQ, Hu L, Ye J, Gao ZG, Lin R, Li HM, Shu Q, Huang LS, Tan LH. Severe pediatric COVID-19: a review from the clinical and immunopathophysiological perspectives. World J Pediatr 2024; 20:307-324. [PMID: 38321331 PMCID: PMC11052880 DOI: 10.1007/s12519-023-00790-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) tends to have mild presentations in children. However, severe and critical cases do arise in the pediatric population with debilitating systemic impacts and can be fatal at times, meriting further attention from clinicians. Meanwhile, the intricate interactions between the pathogen virulence factors and host defense mechanisms are believed to play indispensable roles in severe COVID-19 pathophysiology but remain incompletely understood. DATA SOURCES A comprehensive literature review was conducted for pertinent publications by reviewers independently using the PubMed, Embase, and Wanfang databases. Searched keywords included "COVID-19 in children", "severe pediatric COVID-19", and "critical illness in children with COVID-19". RESULTS Risks of developing severe COVID-19 in children escalate with increasing numbers of co-morbidities and an unvaccinated status. Acute respiratory distress stress and necrotizing pneumonia are prominent pulmonary manifestations, while various forms of cardiovascular and neurological involvement may also be seen. Multiple immunological processes are implicated in the host response to COVID-19 including the type I interferon and inflammasome pathways, whose dysregulation in severe and critical diseases translates into adverse clinical manifestations. Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a potentially life-threatening immune-mediated condition chronologically associated with COVID-19 exposure, denotes another scientific and clinical conundrum that exemplifies the complexity of pediatric immunity. Despite the considerable dissimilarities between the pediatric and adult immune systems, clinical trials dedicated to children are lacking and current management recommendations are largely adapted from adult guidelines. CONCLUSIONS Severe pediatric COVID-19 can affect multiple organ systems. The dysregulated immune pathways in severe COVID-19 shape the disease course, epitomize the vast functional diversity of the pediatric immune system and highlight the immunophenotypical differences between children and adults. Consequently, further research may be warranted to adequately address them in pediatric-specific clinical practice guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Kan Sun
- Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310030, China
| | - Can Wang
- Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Pei-Quan Lin
- Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Lei Hu
- Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Jing Ye
- Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Zhi-Gang Gao
- Department of General Surgery, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Ru Lin
- Department of Cardiopulmonary and Extracorporeal Life Support, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Hao-Min Li
- Clinical Data Center, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Qiang Shu
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China
| | - Li-Su Huang
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China.
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China.
| | - Lin-Hua Tan
- Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310052, China.
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20
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Burstein B, Sabhaney V, Florin TA, Xie J, Kuppermann N, Freedman SB. Presentations and Outcomes Among Infants ≤90 Days With and Without SARS-CoV-2. Pediatrics 2024; 153:e2023064949. [PMID: 38516718 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2023-064949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To compare symptoms and outcomes among infants aged ≤90 days tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a broad, international sample of emergency departments (EDs). METHODS This was a secondary analysis of infants aged 0 to 90 days with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infections tested using molecular approaches and with 14-day follow-up. The parent studies were conducted at 41 EDs in 10 countries (the global Pediatric Emergency Research Network; March 2020-June 2021) and 14 EDs across Canada (Pediatric Emergency Research Canada network; August 2020-February 2022). Symptom profiles included presence and number of presenting symptoms. Clinical outcomes included hospitalization, ICU admission, and severe outcomes (a composite of intensive interventions, severe organ impairment, or death). RESULTS Among 1048 infants tested for SARS-CoV-2, 1007 (96.1%) were symptomatic at presentation and 432 (41.2%) were SARS-CoV-2-positive. A systemic symptom (any of the following: Apnea, drowsiness, irritability, or lethargy) was most common and present in 646 (61.6%) infants, regardless of SARS-CoV-2 status. Although fever and upper respiratory symptoms were more common among SARS-CoV-2-positive infants, dehydration, gastrointestinal, skin, and oral symptoms, and the overall number of presenting symptoms did not differ between groups. Infants with SARS-CoV-2 infections were less likely to be hospitalized (32.9% vs 44.8%; difference -11.9% [95% confidence interval (CI) -17.9% to -6.0%]), require intensive care (1.4% vs 5.0%; difference -3.6% [95% CI -5.7% to -1.6%]), and experience severe outcomes (1.4% vs 5.4%; difference -4.0% [95% CI -6.1% to -1.9%]). CONCLUSIONS SARS-CoV-2 infections may be difficult to differentiate from similar illnesses among the youngest infants but are generally milder. SARS-CoV-2 testing can help inform clinical management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett Burstein
- Montreal Children's Hospital, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, and Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Vikram Sabhaney
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, British Columbia Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Todd A Florin
- Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, and Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Jianling Xie
- Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
- Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Emergency Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Nathan Kuppermann
- Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California
| | - Stephen B Freedman
- Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
- Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Emergency Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
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21
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Valtuille Z, Acquaviva E, Trebossen V, Ouldali N, Bourmaud A, Sclison S, Gomez A, Revet A, Peyre H, Delorme R, Kaguelidou F. Psychotropic Medication Prescribing for Children and Adolescents After the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e247965. [PMID: 38652474 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.7965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Numerous studies have provided evidence for the negative associations of the COVID-19 pandemic with mental health, but data on the use of psychotropic medication in children and adolescents after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic are lacking. Objective To assess the rates and trends of psychotropic medication prescribing before and over the 2 years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in children and adolescents in France. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study used nationwide interrupted time-series analysis of outpatient drug dispensing data from the IQVIA X-ponent database. All 8 839 143 psychotropic medication prescriptions dispensed to children (6 to 11 years of age) and adolescents (12 to 17 years of age) between January 2016 and May 2022 in France were retrieved and analyzed. Exposure Onset of COVID-19 pandemic. Main outcomes and Measures Monthly rates of psychotropic medication prescriptions per 1000 children and adolescents were analyzed using a quasi-Poisson regression before and after the pandemic onset (March 2020), and percentage changes in rates and trends were assessed. After the pandemic onset, rate ratios (RRs) were calculated between estimated and expected monthly prescription rates. Analyses were stratified by psychotropic medication class (antipsychotic, anxiolytic, hypnotic and sedative, antidepressant, and psychostimulant) and age group (children, adolescents). Results In total, 8 839 143 psychotropic medication prescriptions were analyzed, 5 884 819 [66.6%] for adolescents and 2 954 324 [33.4%] for children. In January 2016, the estimated rate of monthly psychotropic medication prescriptions was 9.9 per 1000 children and adolescents, with the prepandemic rate increasing by 0.4% per month (95% CI, 0.3%-0.4%). In March 2020, the monthly prescription rate dropped by 11.5% (95% CI, -17.7% to -4.9%). During the 2 years following the pandemic onset, the trend changed significantly, and the prescription rate increased by 1.3% per month (95% CI, 1.2%-1.5%), reaching 16.1 per 1000 children and adolescents in May 2022. Monthly rates of psychotropic medication prescriptions exceeded the expected rates by 11% (RR, 1.11 [95% CI, 1.08-1.14]). Increases in prescribing trends were observed for all psychotropic medication classes after the pandemic onset but were substantial for anxiolytics, hypnotics and sedatives, and antidepressants. Prescription rates rose above those expected for all psychotropic medication classes except psychostimulants (RR, 1.12 [95% CI, 1.09-1.15] in adolescents and 1.06 [95% CI, 1.05-1.07] in children for antipsychotics; RR, 1.30 [95% CI, 1.25-1.35] in adolescents and 1.11 [95% CI, 1.09-1.12] in children for anxiolytics; RR, 2.50 [95% CI, 2.23-2.77] in adolescents and 1.40 [95% CI, 1.30-1.50] in children for hypnotics and sedatives; RR, 1.38 [95% CI, 1.29-1.47] in adolescents and 1.23 [95% CI, 1.20-1.25] in children for antidepressants; and RR, 0.97 [95% CI, 0.95-0.98] in adolescents and 1.02 [95% CI, 1.00-1.04] in children for psychostimulants). Changes were more pronounced among adolescents than children. Conclusions and Relevance These findings suggest that prescribing of psychotropic medications for children and adolescents in France significantly and persistently increased after the COVID-19 pandemic onset. Future research should identify underlying determinants to improve psychological trajectories in young people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaba Valtuille
- Center of Clinical Investigations, Inserm CIC1426, Robert Debré University Hospital, APHP.Nord, Paris, France
- Paris Cité University, EA7323 Perinatal and Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutic Assessment, Paris, France
| | - Eric Acquaviva
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Robert Debré University Hospital, APHP.Nord, Paris Cité University, Paris, France
| | - Vincent Trebossen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Robert Debré University Hospital, APHP.Nord, Paris Cité University, Paris, France
| | - Naim Ouldali
- Department of General Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Disease and Internal Medicine, Robert Debré University Hospital, APHP.Nord, Paris Cité University, Paris, France
| | - Aurelie Bourmaud
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Inserm CIC1426, Robert Debré University Hospital, APHP.Nord, Paris Cité University, Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Sclison
- Consulting Services & Analytics Department, IQVIA, Courbevoie, France
| | - Alexandre Gomez
- Consulting Services & Analytics Department, IQVIA, Courbevoie, France
| | - Alexis Revet
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France
- CERPOP, UMR 1295, Inserm, Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier University, Toulouse, France
| | - Hugo Peyre
- Autism Reference Centre of Languedoc-Roussillon CRA-LR, Montpellier University Hospital, Montpellier, France
- Excellence Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopmental disorders- CeAND, MUSE University, Montpellier, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, CESP, Team DevPsy, Villejuif, France
| | - Richard Delorme
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Robert Debré University Hospital, APHP.Nord, Paris Cité University, Paris, France
- Human Genetics & Cognitive Functions, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Florentia Kaguelidou
- Center of Clinical Investigations, Inserm CIC1426, Robert Debré University Hospital, APHP.Nord, Paris, France
- Paris Cité University, EA7323 Perinatal and Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutic Assessment, Paris, France
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22
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Hilberath J, Mast AS, Holweg M, Kränkel L, Remppis J, Renk H, Lang P, Schulte J, Fuchs J, Slavetinsky C. Quality of life and healthcare utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic are more restricted in chronically ill than in healthy children: a tertiary care children's hospital experience. Eur J Pediatr 2024; 183:1801-1810. [PMID: 38253757 PMCID: PMC11001739 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-023-05382-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
The global COVID-19 pandemic forced changes in everyday life of children and adolescents due to government containment measures, an altered healthcare accessibility and utilization, and public concern about SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Data on the challenges and impact on children and their families with chronic diseases are limited. The primary objectives of this study were to assess (i) concerns for SARS-CoV-2 infection, (ii) perceived effects on health-related and overall quality of life (HRQoL and QoL), and (iii) accessibility and utilization of healthcare, comparing families with chronically ill children to families with healthy children during the second SARS-CoV-2 infection wave in Germany. A caregiver questionnaire was designed and participation offered in the emergency department and outpatient clinic of a German tertiary care children's hospital. 45.9% of the 205 participants were majorly concerned about their children contracting a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Caregivers of chronically ill children (128/205, 62.4%) stated significantly more often a negative impact on their child's QoL (w = 0.17; p = 0.014), while caregivers of chronically ill adolescents over the age of 13 expressed significantly more frequent a negative impact on their child's HRQoL (w = 0.21; p = 0.016). Outpatient appointments for chronically ill children were significantly more often canceled (w = 0.17; p = 0.025). Caregivers of chronically ill children were significantly more likely to report that they would actively delay hospital visits for emerging health issues due to the pandemic (w = 0.12; p = 0.049). Conclusion: Our findings underscore the importance of identifying families with chronically ill children as a vulnerable patient group with higher burdens during the COVID-19 pandemic and potential future pandemics. Healthcare providers may mitigate such burdens by ensuring reliable appointment allocation, offering contactless healthcare options, and providing tailored advice regarding vulnerabilities and preventive measures specific to their chronically ill children. What is Known: • The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has led to significant restrictions in everyday life and both accessibility and utilization of healthcare for children and adolescents. • Chronically ill children faced exceptional challenges as they depend on regular and functioning medical care, but data comparing the pandemic's impact between chronically ill and healthy children are lacking. What is New: • The perceived impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on quality of life is more negative for chronically ill children and their health-related quality of life is more often affected compared to healthy children. • Caregivers of chronically ill children would more often delay a visit to their child's doctor during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and their medical appointments are more often postponed which both could increase health burdens for such vulnerable patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Hilberath
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Straße 1, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Anna-Sophia Mast
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Straße 1, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Maximilian Holweg
- Pediatric Surgery and Urology, University Children's Hospital Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Straße 3, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lara Kränkel
- Pediatric Surgery and Urology, University Children's Hospital Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Straße 3, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jonathan Remppis
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Straße 1, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hanna Renk
- University Children's Hospital Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Straße 1, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Peter Lang
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Straße 1, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Johannes Schulte
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Straße 1, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jörg Fuchs
- Pediatric Surgery and Urology, University Children's Hospital Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Straße 3, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Slavetinsky
- Pediatric Surgery and Urology, University Children's Hospital Tübingen, University of Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Straße 3, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
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23
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Wurm J, Uka A, Bernet V, Buettcher M, Giannoni E, Kottanattu L, Schöbi N, Zemmouri A, Ritz N, Zimmermann P. The changing clinical presentation of COVID-19 in children during the course of the pandemic. Acta Paediatr 2024; 113:771-777. [PMID: 38102898 DOI: 10.1111/apa.17061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
AIM To investigate the evolution of clinical symptoms of COVID-19 in children throughout the pandemic. METHODS In this national prospective surveillance study, symptoms in children hospitalised with COVID-19 were collected from all paediatric hospitals in Switzerland between March 2020 and March 2023. Data was analysed across four time periods, according to the predominantly circulating SARS-CoV-2 variant: T1 (wild-type), T2 (Alpha), T3 (Delta) and T4 (Omicron), as well as by age group. RESULTS The study included 1323 children. The proportion of children admitted to an intensive care unit remained stable throughout the pandemic. However, the pattern and frequency of clinical manifestations changed over time. Respiratory symptoms were less prevalent during T1 (wild-type), fever during T2 (Alpha) and rash during T4 (Omicron). In contrast, fever and neurological symptoms were more prevalent during T4 (Omicron). Newly described symptoms during T4 (Omicron) included conjunctivitis, laryngotracheitis and seizures. Fever was more prevalent among neonates and infants whereas respiratory symptoms were more common among infants. Gastrointestinal symptoms were more frequent among toddlers, while both toddlers and school-aged children presented with neurological symptoms more often than other age groups. CONCLUSION Continuous surveillance is required to detect changes in manifestations and there by be prepared for the optimal management of complications in children with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Wurm
- Department of Paediatrics, Fribourg Hospital, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Department of Health Science and Medicine, University Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
| | - Anita Uka
- Department Women-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Vera Bernet
- Department of Neonatology, Hospital Zollikerberg, Zollikerberg, Switzerland
| | - Michael Buettcher
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Children's Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
- Faculty of Health Science and Medicine, University Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
- Paediatric Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics Research Center, University Children's Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Eric Giannoni
- Clinic of Neonatology, Department Mother-Woman-Child, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Lisa Kottanattu
- Pediatric Institute of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, EOC, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera Italiana, USI, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Nina Schöbi
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland
| | | | - Nicole Ritz
- Department of Health Science and Medicine, University Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
- Mycobacterial and Migrant Health Research, University Children's Hospital Basel and Department for Clinical Research, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Petra Zimmermann
- Department of Paediatrics, Fribourg Hospital, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- Infectious Diseases Research Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
- Department of Community Health, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
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24
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Bernhard J, Theuring S, van Loon W, Mall MA, Seybold J, Kurth T, Rubio-Acero R, Wieser A, Mockenhaupt FP. SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence in a Berlin Kindergarten Environment: A Cross-Sectional Study, September 2021. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:405. [PMID: 38671622 PMCID: PMC11049115 DOI: 10.3390/children11040405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 serology may be helpful to retrospectively understand infection dynamics in specific settings including kindergartens. We assessed SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in individuals connected to kindergartens in Berlin, Germany in September 2021. Children, staff, and household members from 12 randomly selected kindergartens were interviewed on COVID-19 history and sociodemographic parameters. Blood samples were collected on filter paper. SARS-CoV-2 anti-S and anti-N antibodies were assessed using Roche Elecsys. We assessed seroprevalence and the proportion of so far unrecognized SARS-CoV-2 infections. We included 277 participants, comprising 48 (17.3%) kindergarten children, 37 (13.4%) staff, and 192 (69.3%) household members. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were present in 65.0%, and 52.7% of all participants were vaccinated. Evidence of previous infection was observed in 16.7% of kindergarten children, 16.2% of staff, and 10.4% of household members. Undiagnosed infections were observed in 12.5%, 5.4%, and 3.6%, respectively. Preceding infections were associated with facemask neglect. In conclusion, two-thirds of our cohort were SARS-CoV-2 seroreactive in September 2021, largely as a result of vaccination in adults. Kindergarten children showed the highest proportion of non-vaccine-induced seropositivity and an increased proportion of previously unrecognized SARS-CoV-2 infection. Silent infections in pre-school children need to be considered when interpreting SARS-CoV-2 infections in the kindergarten context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Bernhard
- Institute of International Health, Charité Center for Global Health, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (S.T.); (W.v.L.); (F.P.M.)
| | - Stefanie Theuring
- Institute of International Health, Charité Center for Global Health, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (S.T.); (W.v.L.); (F.P.M.)
| | - Welmoed van Loon
- Institute of International Health, Charité Center for Global Health, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (S.T.); (W.v.L.); (F.P.M.)
| | - Marcus A. Mall
- Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Immunology and Critical Care Medicine, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany;
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- German Centre for Lung Research (DZL), 35392 Gießen, Germany
| | - Joachim Seybold
- Medical Directorate, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Tobias Kurth
- Institute of Public Health, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Raquel Rubio-Acero
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, 80802 Munich, Germany (A.W.)
| | - Andreas Wieser
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, 80802 Munich, Germany (A.W.)
- Max von Pettenkofer Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, 80336 Munich, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), 80802 Munich, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP), 80779 Munich, Germany
| | - Frank P. Mockenhaupt
- Institute of International Health, Charité Center for Global Health, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (S.T.); (W.v.L.); (F.P.M.)
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25
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Zheng S, Chen H, Xu W, Li H, Chen Z, Li J, Tao E. Case report: unprecedented case of infantile cerebral infarction following COVID-19 and favorable outcome. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1357307. [PMID: 38590518 PMCID: PMC10999532 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1357307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The 2019 novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, was highly prevalent in China as of December 2022, causing a range of symptoms, predominantly affecting the respiratory tract. While SARS-CoV-2 infection in children is generally mild, severe cases, especially in infants, are rare. We present a case of a previously healthy 7-month-old infant who developed cerebral infarction and coagulation dysfunction three days after COVID-19 onset. Clinically, the infant had weakness in the left limbs and pinpoint bleeding spots. A cranial magnetic resonance imaging showed ischemic strokes in the right basal ganglia and thalamus. Laboratory tests indicated thrombocytopenia and coagulation dysfunction. Inflammatory cytokines like interleukin-10 were elevated, with increased CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T lymphocytes but decreased CD3- CD16+ CD56+ natural killer cells. Treatment included mannitol, dexamethasone, oral aspirin, and vitamins B1 and B6 for reducing intracranial pressure, antiinflammation, anticoagulation, and nerve support, respectively. During the recovery phase, rehabilitation therapy focused on strength training, fine motor skills, and massage therapy. The infant gradually improved and successfully recovered. While rare, such cases can lead to severe complications. These combined efforts were instrumental in achieving significant functional recovery in the patient, demonstrating that even in severe instances of pediatric cerebral infarction due to COVID-19, positive outcomes are attainable with early and comprehensive medical response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhong Zheng
- Graduate School, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Children’s Rehabilitation, Wenling Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Wenling, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hairui Chen
- Department of Children’s Rehabilitation, Wenling Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Wenling, Zhejiang, China
| | - Weiwei Xu
- Department of Children’s Rehabilitation, Wenling Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Wenling, Zhejiang, China
| | - Haifeng Li
- Department of Rehabilitation, Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, National Children’s Regional Medical Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhongyu Chen
- Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, National Children's Regional Medical Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jianhua Li
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Enfu Tao
- Department of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Wenling Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Wenling, Zhejiang, China
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26
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Willis ZI, Oliveira CR, Abzug MJ, Anosike BI, Ardura MI, Bio LL, Boguniewicz J, Chiotos K, Downes K, Grapentine SP, Hersh AL, Heston SM, Hijano DR, Huskins WC, James SH, Jones S, Lockowitz CR, Lloyd EC, MacBrayne C, Maron GM, Hayes McDonough M, Miller CM, Morton TH, Olivero RM, Orscheln RC, Schwenk HT, Singh P, Soma VL, Sue PK, Vora SB, Nakamura MM, Wolf J. Guidance for prevention and management of COVID-19 in children and adolescents: A consensus statement from the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society Pediatric COVID-19 Therapies Taskforce. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc 2024; 13:159-185. [PMID: 38339996 DOI: 10.1093/jpids/piad116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since November 2019, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has created challenges for preventing and managing COVID-19 in children and adolescents. Most research to develop new therapeutic interventions or to repurpose existing ones has been undertaken in adults, and although most cases of infection in pediatric populations are mild, there have been many cases of critical and fatal infection. Understanding the risk factors for severe illness and the evidence for safety, efficacy, and effectiveness of therapies for COVID-19 in children is necessary to optimize therapy. METHODS A panel of experts in pediatric infectious diseases, pediatric infectious diseases pharmacology, and pediatric intensive care medicine from 21 geographically diverse North American institutions was re-convened. Through a series of teleconferences and web-based surveys and a systematic review with meta-analysis of data for risk factors, a guidance statement comprising a series of recommendations for risk stratification, treatment, and prevention of COVID-19 was developed and refined based on expert consensus. RESULTS There are identifiable clinical characteristics that enable risk stratification for patients at risk for severe COVID-19. These risk factors can be used to guide the treatment of hospitalized and non-hospitalized children and adolescents with COVID-19 and to guide preventative therapy where options remain available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary I Willis
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Carlos R Oliveira
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Mark J Abzug
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Brenda I Anosike
- Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital at Montefiore and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Monica I Ardura
- Department of Pediatrics, ID Host Defense Program, Nationwide Children's Hospital & The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Laura L Bio
- Department of Pharmacy, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Juri Boguniewicz
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kathleen Chiotos
- Departments of Anesthesiology, Critical Care Medicine, and Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Divisions of Critical Care Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kevin Downes
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, Division of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Steven P Grapentine
- Department of Pharmacy, University of California San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Adam L Hersh
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Sarah M Heston
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Diego R Hijano
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - W Charles Huskins
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Scott H James
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Sarah Jones
- Department of Pharmacy, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth C Lloyd
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Gabriela M Maron
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Molly Hayes McDonough
- Center for Healthcare Quality & Analytics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Christine M Miller
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Theodore H Morton
- Department of Pharmacy, St Jude's Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Rosemary M Olivero
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State College of Human Medicine and Helen DeVos Children's Hospital of Corewell Health, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | | | - Hayden T Schwenk
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Prachi Singh
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Vijaya L Soma
- Department of Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Paul K Sue
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Surabhi B Vora
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, and Division of Infectious Diseases, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Mari M Nakamura
- Antimicrobial Stewardship Program and Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joshua Wolf
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
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27
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Amadou HI, Yoda H, Tialla D, Yanogo PK, Barry D, Ibrahim ML, Aboubacar S, Souley ASY, Ousmane A, Meda N. Factors associated with COVID-19 in children aged 0 to 15 in Niger, 2020. Pan Afr Med J 2024; 47:117. [PMID: 38828421 PMCID: PMC11143072 DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2024.47.117.41490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
On January 30, 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 a global health emergency. Children were affected in less severe forms. Niger had implemented measures in a context where children were a source of contamination. The aim was to determine the factors associated with COVID-19 in children in Niger from February to August 2020 through an analysis of the national database. We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study including all COVID-19 suspects in the database. We used Excel and Epi Info 7.2.4. software for data extraction and analysis. Frequencies and proportions were calculated, and in a logistic regression, we estimated the ORs of association with their 95% confidence intervals, the factors associated with COVID-19 at the threshold of p<0.05. Of 572 notified cases of suspected COVID-19 in children aged 0-15, 11.36% were positive. The median age of infected children was 10 years [IQR: 5- 13 years]. The male/female sex ratio was 2.1. Children aged 11 to 15 accounted for 49.2%, 61.5% lived in Niamey, 4.6% had comorbidities. The notion of travel was 12.3% and 40% had a notion of contact, 24.4% had a fever, 23.2% had a cough, 18% were hospitalized, and a case-fatality rate of 1.5%. In etiological analysis, the factors associated with COVID-19 were sex ORa=0.51 [0.28-0.93] p=0.028, presence of symptoms ORa=2.29 [1.23-4.25] p=0.008 and notion of contact ORa=0.32 [0.13-0.77] p=0.011. Exposed children were sensitive to COVID-19, and all age groups were affected, with a predominance of males. We recommend barrier measures adapted to young people, and early detection and management of infected children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Habibatou Idé Amadou
- Burkina Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, Joseph KI-ZERBO University, BP 9268, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Herman Yoda
- Burkina Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, Joseph KI-ZERBO University, BP 9268, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Dieudonné Tialla
- Institute of Research in Health Sciences, BP 7047 Ouagadougou 3, Burkina Faso
| | - Pauline Kiswendsida Yanogo
- Burkina Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, Joseph KI-ZERBO University, BP 9268, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ouagadougou 1 Joseph KI-ZERBO, BP 7021 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Djibril Barry
- Burkina Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, Joseph KI-ZERBO University, BP 9268, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Samaila Aboubacar
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Abdou Moumouni University of Niamey, BP 10146 Niamey, Niger
| | | | - Abdoulaye Ousmane
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University Dan Dicko Dankoulodo of Maradi, Maradi, Niger
| | - Nicolas Meda
- Burkina Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, Joseph KI-ZERBO University, BP 9268, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ouagadougou 1 Joseph KI-ZERBO, BP 7021 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
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28
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Kulkarni D, Ismail NF, Zhu F, Wang X, del Carmen Morales G, Srivastava A, Allen KE, Spinardi J, Rahman AE, Kyaw MH, Nair H. Epidemiology and clinical features of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adolescents in the pre-Omicron era: A global systematic review and meta-analysis. J Glob Health 2024; 14:05003. [PMID: 38419461 PMCID: PMC10902805 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.14.05003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Methods We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Global Health, CINAHL, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, CQvip, and the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 global literature databases for primary studies recruiting children aged ≤18 years with a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed either by molecular or antigen tests. We used the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools to appraise the study quality and conducted meta-analyses using the random effects model for all outcomes except for race/ethnicity as risk factors of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results We included 237 studies, each reporting at least one of the study outcomes. Based on data from 117 studies, the pooled SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate was 9.30% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 7.15-11.73). Having a comorbidity was identified as a risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection (risk ratio (RR) = 1.33; 95% CI = 1.04-1.71) based on data from 49 studies. Most cases in this review presented with mild disease (n = 50; 52.47% (95% CI = 44.03-60.84)). However, 20.70% of paediatric SARS-CoV-2 infections were hospitalised (67 studies), 7.19% required oxygen support (57 studies), 4.26% required intensive care (93 studies), and 2.92% required assisted ventilation (63 studies). The case fatality ratio (n = 119) was 0.87% (95% CI = 0.54-1.28), which included in-hospital and out-of-hospital deaths. Conclusions Our data showed that children were at risk for SARS-CoV-2 infections and severe outcomes in the pre-Omicron era. These findings underscore the need for effective vaccination strategies for the paediatric population to protect against the acute and long-term sequelae of COVID-19. Registration PROSPERO: CRD42022327680.
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Affiliation(s)
- Durga Kulkarni
- Centre for Global Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Nabihah Farhana Ismail
- Centre for Global Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Communicable Disease Control Unit, Public Health Department, Johor State, Malaysia
| | - Fuyu Zhu
- Schol of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Schol of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, China
| | | | | | | | | | - Ahmed Ehsanur Rahman
- Centre for Global Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh
| | | | - Harish Nair
- Centre for Global Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Schol of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, China
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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29
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Zarth K, Holand BL, Zoche E, Schaan CW, Lukrafka JL, Bosa VL. Nutritional risk and functionality of children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19. Eur J Pediatr 2024; 183:1223-1230. [PMID: 38087095 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-023-05274-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
To evaluate the association between nutritional risk and functionality of children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19 at admission and discharge. METHODS Retrospective cross-sectional study with patients under 19 years old, positive for SARS-COV-2 by RT-PCR test, from February 2020 to May 2022. The STRONGKids screening (Screening Tool Risk On Nutritional Status and Growth) was used to assess nutritional risk on hospital admission and the Functional Status Scale (FSS-Brazil) to determine the functionality of patients on admission and discharge. Data was collected from hospital medical records. Poisson regressions with crude robust variance were used to test the association between nutritional risk and functional status at admission, with adjustments for the age, length of stay, and presence of complex chronic conditions. RESULTS Of the 217 patients, 55.7% (n = 121) were boys with a median age of 6 years (IQ 0-12), 58.5% (n = 127) had at least one complex chronic condition, 64% (n = 139) had medium/high nutritional risk, and 23.9% (n = 52) had some degree of dysfunctionality upon admission and 14.6% (n = 31) upon discharge. By associating STRONGKids and the FSS-Brasil of hospital admission, it was observed that children with low nutritional risk had a mean global FSS lower (6.4 ± 0.7) than children with medium/high nutritional risk (7. 7 ± 2.8; p < 0.001). Children with low nutritional risk on admission also had a lower mean (6.1 ± 0.59) on the FSS at hospital discharge than children with medium/high nutritional risk (7.1 ± 2.5; p < 0.001). After adjustments, it was identified that the addition of one STRONGKids point increases by 36% (PR 1.36; 95%CI 1.15-1.62) the probability of the patient presenting some degree of functional impairment on admission. Conclusion: The study found a positive association between nutritional risk and functional impairment in hospitalized children and adolescents with COVID-19 on admission, even after adjusting for age, length of stay, and complex chronic conditions. Furthermore, patients with medium/high nutritional risk at admission also had worse functionality, both on admission and at discharge. WHAT IS KNOWN • Children and adolescents infected with COVID-19 tend to exhibit milder symptoms and lower hospitalization rates compared to adults, although severe cases and complications can occur. • A paucity of targeted investigations exists regarding the correlation between nutritional risk and functionality in children and adolescents with COVID-19. WHAT IS NEW • Children and adolescents with COVID-19 who presented with medium to high nutritional risk upon hospital admission demonstrated functional impairments, both at admission and hospital discharge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kahena Zarth
- Graduate Program in Food, Nutrition and Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, 2400 Ramiro Barcelos Street, Porto Alegre, State of Rio Grande do Sul, 90035-002, Brazil
| | - Bruna Luiza Holand
- Graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Ester Zoche
- Nutrition Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | - Janice Luisa Lukrafka
- Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Vera Lúcia Bosa
- Graduate Program in Food, Nutrition and Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, 2400 Ramiro Barcelos Street, Porto Alegre, State of Rio Grande do Sul, 90035-002, Brazil.
- Nutrition Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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Ahmed A, Munoz FM, Muller WJ, Agwu A, Kimberlin DW, Galli L, Deville JG, Sue PK, Mendez-Echevarria A, Humeniuk R, Guo S, Rodriguez L, Han D, Hedskog C, Maxwell H, Palaparthy R, Kersey K, Rojo P. Remdesivir for COVID-19 in Hospitalized Children: A Phase 2/3 Study. Pediatrics 2024; 153:e2023063775. [PMID: 38332740 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2023-063775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Remdesivir decreases the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection progressing to severe disease in adults. This study evaluated remdesivir safety and pharmacokinetics in infants and children. METHODS This was a phase 2/3, open-label trial in children aged 28 days to 17 years hospitalized for polymerase chain reaction-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Participants received for ≤10 days once-daily intravenous remdesivir doses defined using physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling (for ≥40 kg, 200 mg day 1, then 100 mg/day; for age ≥28 days and ≥3 to <40 kg, 5 mg/kg day 1, then 2.5 mg/kg/day). Sparse pharmacokinetic samples were analyzed using population-pharmacokinetic approaches for remdesivir and metabolites GS-704277 and GS-441524. RESULTS Among 53 participants, at enrollment the median (Q1, Q3) number of days of COVID-19 symptoms was 5 (3, 7) and hospitalization was 1 (1, 3). Underlying conditions included obesity in 19 (37%), asthma in 11 (21%), and cardiac disorders in 11 (21%). Median duration of remdesivir treatment was 5 days (range, 1-10). Remdesivir treatment had no new apparent safety trends. Two participants discontinued treatment because of adverse events including elevated transaminases; both had elevated transaminases at baseline. Three deaths occurred during treatment (and 1 after). When compared with phase 3 adult data, estimated mean pediatric parameters (area under the concentration-time curve over 1 dosing interval, AUCτ, Cmax, and Cτ) were largely overlapping but modestly increased (remdesivir, 33%-129%; GS-704277, 37%-124%; GS-441524, 0%-60%). Recovery occurred for 62% of participants on day 10 and 83% at last assessment. CONCLUSIONS In infants and children with COVID-19, the doses of remdesivir evaluated provided drug exposure similar to adult dosing. In this study with a small sample size, no new safety concerns were observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina Ahmed
- Department of Pediatrics, Levine Children's Hospital at Atrium Health, Charlotte, North Carolina
- Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Flor M Munoz
- Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas
| | - William J Muller
- Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Allison Agwu
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | - Luisa Galli
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence; Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Meyer Children's University Hospital, IRCCS, Florence, Italy
| | - Jaime G Deville
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Paul K Sue
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Ana Mendez-Echevarria
- Servicio de Pediatría, Enfermedades Infecciosas y Tropicales, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Red en Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Susan Guo
- Gilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, California
| | | | - Dong Han
- Gilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, California
| | | | | | | | | | - Pablo Rojo
- Hospital Universitario12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
- Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
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Yang J, Andersen KM, Rai KK, Tritton T, Mugwagwa T, Tsang C, Reimbaeva M, McGrath LJ, Payne P, Backhouse B, Mendes D, Butfield R, Wood R, Nguyen JL. Health Care Resource Utilization and Costs Associated With COVID-19 Among Pediatrics Managed in the Community or Hospital Setting in England: A Population-based Cohort Study. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2024; 43:209-216. [PMID: 38113517 DOI: 10.1097/inf.0000000000004213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although COVID-19 morbidity is significantly lower in pediatrics than in adults, the risk of severe COVID-19 may still pose substantial health care resource burden. This study aimed to describe health care resource utilization (HCRU) and costs associated with COVID-19 in pediatrics 1-17 years old in England. METHODS A population-based retrospective cohort study of pediatrics with COVID-19 using Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD Aurum) primary care data and, where available, linked Hospital Episode Statistics Admitted Patient Care secondary care data. HCRU and associated costs to the National Health Service were stratified by age, risk of severe COVID-19 and immunocompromised status, separately for those with and without hospitalization records (hospitalized cohort: COVID-19 diagnosis August 2020-March 2021; primary care cohort: COVID-19 diagnosis August 2020-January 2022). RESULTS This study included 564,644 patients in the primary care cohort and 60 in the hospitalized cohort. Primary care consultations were more common in those 1-4 years of age (face-to-face: 4.3%; telephone: 6.0%) compared with those 5-11 (2.0%; 2.1%) and 12-17 years of age (2.2%; 2.5%). In the hospitalized cohort, mean (SD) length of stay was longer [5.0 (5.8) days] among those 12-17 years old (n = 24) than those 1-4 [n = 15; 1.8 (0.9) days] and 5-11 years old [n = 21; 2.8 (2.1) days]. CONCLUSIONS Most pediatrics diagnosed with COVID-19 were managed in the community. However, hospitalizations were an important driver of HCRU and costs, particularly for those 12-17 years old. Our results may help optimize the management and resource allocation of COVID-19 in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyan Yang
- From the Pfizer Inc, New York City, New York
- Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy, Columbia University, New York City, New York
| | | | - Kiran K Rai
- Adelphi Real World, Bollington, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Poppy Payne
- Adelphi Real World, Bollington, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Robert Wood
- Adelphi Real World, Bollington, United Kingdom
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Romani L, Roversi M, Bernardi S, Venturini E, Garazzino S, Donà D, Krzysztofiak A, Montagnani C, Funiciello E, Calò Carducci FI, Marabotto C, Castagnola E, Salvini F, Lancella L, Lo Vecchio A, Galli L, Castelli Gattinara G. Use of Remdesivir in children with COVID-19: report of an Italian multicenter study. Ital J Pediatr 2024; 50:32. [PMID: 38413992 PMCID: PMC10900665 DOI: 10.1186/s13052-024-01606-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 is generally milder in children than in adults, however severe infection has been described in some patients. Few data are available on use of Remdesivir (RDV) in children, as most clinical trials focused on adult patients. We report a multicenter study conducted in 10 Italian Hospitals to investigate the safety of RDV in children affected by COVID-19. METHODS We collected the clinical data of children with COVID-19 treated with RDV between March 2020 and February 2022 in 10 Italian hospitals. Clinical data were compared according to a duration of RDV therapy more or less than 5 days. Linear regression model was used to determine the association of significant variables from the bivariate analysis to the duration of RDV therapy. RESULTS A total of 50 patients were included, with a median age of 12.8 years. Many patients had at least one comorbidity (78%), mostly obesity. Symptoms were fever (88%), cough (74%) and dyspnea (68%). Most patients were diagnosed with pneumonia of either viral and/or bacterial etiology. Blood test showed leukopenia in 66% and increased C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in 63% of cases. Thirty-six patients received RDV for 5 days, nine patients up to 10 days. Most children who received RDV longer were admitted to the PICU (67%). Treatment with RDV was well tolerated with rare side effects: bradycardia was recorded in 6% of cases, solved in less than 24 h after discontinuation. A mild elevation of transaminases was observed in 26% of cases, however for the 8%, it was still detected before the RDV administration. Therefore, in these cases, we could not establish if it was caused by COVID-19, RDV o both. Patients who received RDV for more than 5 days waited longer for its administration after pneumonia diagnosis. The presence of comorbidities and the duration of O2 administration significantly correlated with the duration of RDV therapy at the linear regression analysis. CONCLUSION Our experience indicates that RDV against SARS-CoV-2 is safe and well-tolerated in pediatric populations at high risk of developing severe COVID-19. Our data suggest that delaying RDV therapy after diagnosis of pneumonia may be associated with a longer duration of antiviral therapy, especially in patients with comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenza Romani
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
| | - Marco Roversi
- PhD Course "Immunology, Molecular Medicine and Applied Biotechnology", University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefania Bernardi
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Silvia Garazzino
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Daniele Donà
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department for Woman and Child Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Carlotta Montagnani
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Meyer Children's University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Elisa Funiciello
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Caterina Marabotto
- Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Elio Castagnola
- Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Filippo Salvini
- Pediatrics Division, Azienda Sanitaria Territoriale Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Lancella
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Lo Vecchio
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - Luisa Galli
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Meyer Children's University Hospital, Florence, Italy
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Bellini T, Brisca G, Orfanos I, Mariani M, Pezzotta F, Giordano B, Pastorino A, Misley S, Formigoni C, Fueri E, Ferretti M, Marin M, Finetti M, Piccotti E, Castagnola E, Moscatelli A. Clinical Course, Laboratory Findings, and Prognosis of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Infants up to 90 Days of Age: A Single-Center Experience and a Proposal for a Management Pathway. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:528. [PMID: 38470638 PMCID: PMC10931066 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12050528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
AIM To provide a comprehensive description of the clinical features, biochemical characteristics, and outcomes of infants up to 90 days old with COVID-19. Moreover, to assess the severity of the disease and propose an effective management pathway. METHODS Retrospective single-center study spanning three years. Patient data includes age, sex, symptoms, comorbidities, blood and urine test results, cultures, admission, length of stay, therapies, intensive care unit admission, and mortality. RESULTS A total of 274 patients were enrolled in the study, comprising 55% males. Among them, 60 patients (22%) were under the age of 29 days, while 214 (78%) fell within the 29 to 90 days age range. The overall incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections was 0.28 per 10,000 Pediatric Emergency Department admissions. Blood inflammatory markers showed no significant abnormalities, and there were no recorded instances of positive blood cultures. Less than 1% of infants showed urinary tract infections with positive urine cultures, and 1.5% of patients had a concurrent RSV infection. Hospitalization rates were 83% for neonates and 67% for infants, with a median length of stay (LOS) of 48 h for both age groups. None of the patients required admission to the Pediatric or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and only one required High Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC). No secondary serious bacterial infections were observed, and all hospitalized patients were discharged without short-term sequelae. No deaths were reported. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Infants with COVID-19 generally exhibit milder or asymptomatic forms of the disease, making home management a viable option in most cases. Blood tests, indicative of a mild inflammatory response, are recommended primarily for children showing symptoms of illness. Hospitalization precautions for infants without apparent illness or comorbidities are deemed unnecessary. Given the evolving nature of experiences with COVID-19 in infants, maintaining a high level of clinical suspicion remains imperative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Bellini
- Pediatric Emergency Room and Emergency Medicine Unit, Emergency Department, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy; (M.F.); (M.M.); (M.F.)
| | - Giacomo Brisca
- Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Department, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy; (G.B.); (A.M.)
| | - Ioannis Orfanos
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 22100 Lund, Sweden;
- Department of Pediatrics, Skåne University Hospital, 22185 Lund, Sweden
| | - Marcello Mariani
- Infectious Diseases Unit and COVID Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy (E.C.)
| | - Federico Pezzotta
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, 16132 Genova, Italy; (F.P.); (B.G.); (A.P.); (S.M.); (C.F.); (E.F.)
| | - Benedetta Giordano
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, 16132 Genova, Italy; (F.P.); (B.G.); (A.P.); (S.M.); (C.F.); (E.F.)
| | - Andrea Pastorino
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, 16132 Genova, Italy; (F.P.); (B.G.); (A.P.); (S.M.); (C.F.); (E.F.)
| | - Silvia Misley
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, 16132 Genova, Italy; (F.P.); (B.G.); (A.P.); (S.M.); (C.F.); (E.F.)
| | - Clelia Formigoni
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, 16132 Genova, Italy; (F.P.); (B.G.); (A.P.); (S.M.); (C.F.); (E.F.)
| | - Elena Fueri
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, 16132 Genova, Italy; (F.P.); (B.G.); (A.P.); (S.M.); (C.F.); (E.F.)
| | - Marta Ferretti
- Pediatric Emergency Room and Emergency Medicine Unit, Emergency Department, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy; (M.F.); (M.M.); (M.F.)
| | - Marta Marin
- Pediatric Emergency Room and Emergency Medicine Unit, Emergency Department, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy; (M.F.); (M.M.); (M.F.)
| | - Martina Finetti
- Pediatric Emergency Room and Emergency Medicine Unit, Emergency Department, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy; (M.F.); (M.M.); (M.F.)
| | - Emanuela Piccotti
- Pediatric Emergency Room and Emergency Medicine Unit, Emergency Department, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy; (M.F.); (M.M.); (M.F.)
| | - Elio Castagnola
- Infectious Diseases Unit and COVID Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy (E.C.)
| | - Andrea Moscatelli
- Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Department, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy; (G.B.); (A.M.)
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Henin D, Fappani C, Carmagnola D, Gori M, Pellegrini G, Colzani D, Amendola A, Perrotta M, Tanzi E, Dellavia C. COVID-19 monitoring of school personnel through molecular salivary test and dried blood spot analysis. J Glob Health 2024; 14:05004. [PMID: 38330189 PMCID: PMC10852534 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.14.05004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Background When the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic broke out, most countries enforced school closures as a precautionary measure. Although COVID-19 is still present three years later, schools have been reopened. We aimed to test the association of molecular salivary testing (MST) and dried blood spot (DBS) analysis for community surveillance by investigating the immunological profile of a group of school staff during and following COVID-19 vaccination. Methods We conducted the study in a school in Milan from April 2021, when school staff were administered the first dose of vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, until the school year ended in June 2022. Each participant provided samples for MST and DBS one month (T1, W1) after receiving their first dose of vaccine. Subsequently, they collected weekly MST samples for five weeks (W2-W6), plus a DBS sample in the last week (T2). Both samples were collected one (T3), four (T4), and seven months (T5) after the administration of the second vaccine dose in May 2021. A final DBS sample was collected one year (T6) after T3. Results Sixty participants provided 327 MSTs and 251 DBSs. None of the MST samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA during the study period. A total of 201 DBS samples tested positive for the IgG semiquantitative analysis. Negative samples were found only at T1 (20.45%) and T2 (7.32%). We observed borderline results at T1 (4.55%), T2 (7.32%), and T4 (2.70%). The anti-SARS-CoV-2 average antibody ratio increased after the second dose between T2 and T3, and the trend peaked after the third dose between T4 and T6. We performed an immunoenzymatic assay of antibodies against nucleocapsid protein on samples collected at T1 from five participants who reported having been infected before the study and from four subjects with an abnormal increase in the antibody values at T4. Two samples tested positive in the first group and two in the second one. Conclusions Our findings show that MST and DBS could be effective tools in the active surveillance of school personnel and that schools could be considered safe settings in view of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Vaccines might have contributed to case and/or symptom reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dolaji Henin
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Clara Fappani
- Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Coordinate Research Centre EpiSoMI (Epidemiology and Molecular Surveillance of Infections), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniela Carmagnola
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Gori
- Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Coordinate Research Centre EpiSoMI (Epidemiology and Molecular Surveillance of Infections), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Gaia Pellegrini
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniela Colzani
- Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonella Amendola
- Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Coordinate Research Centre EpiSoMI (Epidemiology and Molecular Surveillance of Infections), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Coordinate Research Centre MACH (Centre for Multidisciplinary Research in Health Sciences), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Mariachiara Perrotta
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Tanzi
- Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Coordinate Research Centre EpiSoMI (Epidemiology and Molecular Surveillance of Infections), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Coordinate Research Centre MACH (Centre for Multidisciplinary Research in Health Sciences), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Dellavia
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Khan R, Ji W, Guzman-Rivera J, Madhvi A, Andrews T, Richlin B, Suarez C, Gaur S, Cuddy W, Singh AR, Bukulmez H, Kaelber D, Kimura Y, Ganapathi U, Michailidis IE, Ukey R, Moroso-Fela S, Kuster JK, Casseus M, Roy J, Kleinman LC, Horton DB, Lakhani SA, Gennaro ML. A genetically modulated Toll-like-receptor-tolerant phenotype in peripheral blood cells of children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.02.02.24301686. [PMID: 38370700 PMCID: PMC10871447 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.02.24301686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Dysregulated innate immune responses contribute to multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), characterized by gastrointestinal, mucocutaneous, and/or cardiovascular injury occurring weeks after SARS-CoV-2 exposure. To investigate innate immune functions in MIS-C, we stimulated ex vivo peripheral blood cells from MIS-C patients with agonists of Toll-like receptors (TLR), key innate immune response initiators. We found severely dampened cytokine responses and elevated gene expression of negative regulators of TLR signaling. Increased plasma levels of zonulin, a gut leakage marker, were also detected. These effects were also observed in children enrolled months after MIS-C recovery. Moreover, cells from MIS-C children carrying rare genetic variants of lysosomal trafficking regulator (LYST) were less refractory to TLR stimulation and exhibited lysosomal and mitochondrial abnormalities with altered energy metabolism. Our results strongly suggest that MIS-C hyperinflammation and/or excessive or prolonged stimulation with gut-originated TLR ligands drive immune cells to a lasting refractory state. TLR hyporesponsiveness is likely beneficial, as suggested by excess lymphopenia among rare LYST variant carriers. Our findings point to cellular mechanisms underlying TLR hyporesponsiveness; identify genetic determinants that may explain the MIS-C clinical spectrum; suggest potential associations between innate refractory states and long COVID; and highlight the need to monitor long-term consequences of MIS-C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rehan Khan
- Public Health Research Institute, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ
| | - Weizhen Ji
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Jeisac Guzman-Rivera
- Public Health Research Institute, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ
| | - Abhilasha Madhvi
- Public Health Research Institute, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ
| | - Tracy Andrews
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ
| | - Benjamin Richlin
- Pediatric Clinical Research Center, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ
| | - Christian Suarez
- Pediatric Clinical Research Center, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ
| | - Sunanda Gaur
- Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Research Center, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ
| | | | - Aalok R Singh
- Maria Fareri Children's Hospital, Valhalla, NY
- New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY
| | - Hulya Bukulmez
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Rheumatology, MetroHealth System, Cleveland OH
| | - David Kaelber
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Rheumatology, MetroHealth System, Cleveland OH
- Center for Clinical Informatics Research and Education, MetroHealth System, Cleveland OH
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland OH
| | - Yukiko Kimura
- Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, NJ
| | - Usha Ganapathi
- Public Health Research Institute, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ
| | - Ioannis E Michailidis
- Public Health Research Institute, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ
| | - Rahul Ukey
- Public Health Research Institute, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ
| | - Sandra Moroso-Fela
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ
| | - John K Kuster
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Myriam Casseus
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ
| | - Jason Roy
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ
| | - Lawrence C Kleinman
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ
- Department of Global Urban Health, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ
| | - Daniel B Horton
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ
- Rutgers Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science, Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, New Brunswick, NJ
| | - Saquib A Lakhani
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Maria Laura Gennaro
- Public Health Research Institute, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ
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Jacobson JC, Ryan ML, Vogel AM, Mehl SC, Acker SN, Prendergast C, Padilla BE, Lee J, Chao SD, Martin NR, Russell KW, Larsen K, Harting MT, Linden AF, Ignacio RC, Slater BJ, Juang D, Jensen AR, Melhado CG, Pelayo JC, Zhong A, Spencer BL, Gadepalli SK, Maamari M, Jimenez Valencia M, Qureshi FG, Pandya SR. Outcomes of Extracorporeal Life Support Utilization for Pediatric Patients With COVID-19 Infections. ASAIO J 2024; 70:146-153. [PMID: 37816012 DOI: 10.1097/mat.0000000000002059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Outcomes of pediatric patients who received extracorporeal life support (ECLS) for COVID-19 remain poorly described. The aim of this multi-institutional retrospective observational study was to evaluate these outcomes and assess for prognostic factors associated with in-hospital mortality. Seventy-nine patients at 14 pediatric centers across the United States who received ECLS support for COVID-19 infections between January 2020 and July 2022 were included for analysis. Data were extracted from the electronic medical record. The median age was 14.5 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 2-17 years). Most patients were female (54.4%) and had at least one pre-existing comorbidity (84.8%), such as obesity (44.3%, median body mass index percentile: 97% [IQR: 67.5-99.0%]). Venovenous (VV) ECLS was initiated in 50.6% of patients. Median duration of ECLS was 12 days (IQR: 6.0-22.5 days) with a mean duration from admission to ECLS initiation of 5.2 ± 6.3 days. Survival to hospital discharge was 54.4%. Neurological deficits were reported in 16.3% of survivors. Nonsurvivors were of older age (13.3 ± 6.2 years vs. 9.3 ± 7.7 years, p = 0.012), more likely to receive renal replacement therapy (63.9% vs. 30.2%, p = 0.003), demonstrated longer durations from admission to ECLS initiation (7.0 ± 8.1 days vs. 3.7 ± 3.8 days, p = 0.030), and had higher rates of ECLS-related complications (91.7% vs. 69.8%, p = 0.016) than survivors. Pediatric patients with COVID-19 who received ECLS demonstrated substantial morbidity and further investigation is warranted to optimize management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian C Jacobson
- From the Division of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Medical Center & Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Mark L Ryan
- From the Division of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Medical Center & Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Adam M Vogel
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Steven C Mehl
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Shannon N Acker
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Connor Prendergast
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Benjamin E Padilla
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Justin Lee
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Stephanie D Chao
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California
| | - Nolan R Martin
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California
| | - Katie W Russell
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Primary Children's Hospital, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Kezlyn Larsen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Primary Children's Hospital, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Matthew T Harting
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston, Texas
| | - Allison F Linden
- Section of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Romeo C Ignacio
- Division of Pediatric Surgery/Department of Surgery, University of California School of Medicine, La Jolla, California
| | - Bethany J Slater
- Department of Surgery, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - David Juang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri
| | - Aaron R Jensen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, Oakland, California
| | - Caroline G Melhado
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, Oakland, California
| | - Juan Carlos Pelayo
- Division of Pediatric Surgery and Department of Surgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Allen Zhong
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, California
| | - Brianna L Spencer
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Samir K Gadepalli
- Section of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Susan B. Meister Child Health Evaluation and Research Center, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Mia Maamari
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Children's Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Maria Jimenez Valencia
- From the Division of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Medical Center & Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Faisal G Qureshi
- From the Division of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Medical Center & Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Samir R Pandya
- From the Division of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Medical Center & Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
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Aparicio C, Willis ZI, Nakamura MM, Wolf J, Little C, Maron GM, Sue PK, Anosike BI, Miller C, Bio LL, Singh P, James SH, Oliveira CR. Risk Factors for Pediatric Critical COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.01.17.24301452. [PMID: 38293040 PMCID: PMC10827273 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.17.24301452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Background Risk stratification is a cornerstone of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society COVID-19 treatment guidance. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to define the clinical characteristics and comorbidities associated with critical COVID-19 in children and adolescents. Methods Two independent reviewers screened the literature (Medline and EMBASE) for studies published through August 2023 that reported outcome data on patients aged ≤21 years with COVID-19. Critical disease was defined as an invasive mechanical ventilation requirement, intensive care unit admission, or death. Random effects models were used to estimate pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), and heterogeneity was explored through subgroup analyses. Results Among 10,178 articles, 136 studies met the inclusion criteria for review. Data from 70 studies, which collectively examined 172,165 children and adolescents with COVID-19, were pooled for meta-analysis. In previously healthy children, the absolute risk of critical disease from COVID-19 was 4% (95% CI, 1%-10%). Compared with no comorbidities, the pooled OR for critical disease was 3.95 (95% CI, 2.78-5.63) for presence of one comorbidity and 9.51 (95% CI, 5.62-16.06) for ≥2 comorbidities. Key risk factors included cardiovascular and neurological disorders, chronic pulmonary conditions (excluding asthma), diabetes, obesity, and immunocompromise, all with statistically significant ORs >2.00. Conclusions While the absolute risk for critical COVID-19 in children and adolescents without underlying health conditions is relatively low, the presence of one or more comorbidities was associated with markedly increased risk. These findings support the importance of risk stratification in tailoring pediatric COVID-19 management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Aparicio
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Zachary I. Willis
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Mari M. Nakamura
- Antimicrobial Stewardship Program and Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Joshua Wolf
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
| | - Cordell Little
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Gabriela M. Maron
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
| | - Paul K. Sue
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Brenda I. Anosike
- Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | - Christine Miller
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Laura L. Bio
- Department of Pharmacy, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Stanford, CA
| | - Prachi Singh
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Scott H. James
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
| | - Carlos R. Oliveira
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
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Katayama Y, Tanaka K, Domi H, Masui J, Nakao S, Tachino J, Hirose T, Kitamura T, Oda J, Matsuoka T. Outcome of emergency patients transported by ambulance during the COVID-19 pandemic in Osaka Prefecture, Japan: a population-based descriptive study. Front Public Health 2024; 11:1322236. [PMID: 38274542 PMCID: PMC10808805 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1322236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The novel corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic occurred worldwide. Although an excessive burden was placed on emergency medical institutions treating urgent and severe patients, its impact on patient outcome remains unknown. This study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 on the emergency medical services (EMS) system and patient outcomes in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Methods This was a retrospective descriptive study with a study period from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021. We included patients who were transported by ambulance and had cleaned data that was recorded in the ORION system. The study endpoints were the number of patients transported by ambulance and the number of deaths among these patients in each month. To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the EMS system, the incidence rate ratio (IRR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using 2019 as the reference year. Mortalities were evaluated based on deaths in the emergency department and deaths at 21 days after hospitalization. Results The numbers of patients transported by ambulance were 500,194 in 2019, 443,321 in 2020 (IRR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.87-0.88), and 448,054 in 2021 (IRR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.89-0.90). In 2019, the number of patients transported by ambulance and who died in the emergency departments was 4,980, compared to 5,485 in 2020 (IRR: 1.10, 95% CI; 1.06-1.44) and 5,925 in 2021 (IRR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.15-1.24). In 2019, the number of patients who died within 21 days after hospitalization was 11,931, compared to 11,913 in 2020 (IRR; 1.00, 95% CI; 0.98-1.03) and 13,376 in 2021 (IRR; 1.12, 95% CI; 1.09-1.15). Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic decreased the number of ambulance requests and worsened mortality of patients transported by ambulance in Osaka Prefecture during 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Katayama
- The Working Group to Analyze the Emergency Medical Care System in Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Kenta Tanaka
- Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Division of Environmental Medicine and Population Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Hisaya Domi
- The Working Group to Analyze the Emergency Medical Care System in Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan
- Osaka Prefectural Government, Osaka, Japan
| | - Jun Masui
- The Working Group to Analyze the Emergency Medical Care System in Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Tane General Hospital, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shunichiro Nakao
- Department of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Jotaro Tachino
- Department of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Tomoya Hirose
- Department of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Tetsuhisa Kitamura
- The Working Group to Analyze the Emergency Medical Care System in Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Division of Environmental Medicine and Population Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Jun Oda
- Department of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Matsuoka
- The Working Group to Analyze the Emergency Medical Care System in Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan
- Rinku General Medical Center, Izumisano, Japan
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Boraey NF, Bebars MA, Wahba AA, Abd El Lateef HM, Attia MA, Elsayed AH, Rashed KA, Sorour EI, Ahmed MF, Abd-Elrehim GAB, Soliman AA, Shehab MMM, Elhindawy EM, Ibraheem AAA, Shehata H, Yousif YM, Hashem MIA, Ahmed AA, Emam AA, Gameil DM, Abdelhady EM, Abdelkhalek K, Morsi WEMA, Selim DM, Razek SA, Ashraf B, Saleh ASE, Eltrawy HH, Alanwar MI, Fouad RA, Omar WE, Nabil RM, Abdelhamed MR, Ibrahim MY, Malek MM, Afify MR, Alharbi MT, Nagshabandi MK, Tarabulsi MK, Qashqary ME, Almoraie LM, Salem HF, Rashad MM, El-Gaaly SAA, El-Deeb NA, Abdallah AM, Fakhreldin AR, Hassouba M, Massoud YM, Attaya MSM, Haridi MK. Association of ACE1 I/D polymorphism and susceptibility to COVID-19 in Egyptian children and adolescents. Pediatr Res 2024:10.1038/s41390-023-02982-8. [PMID: 38177248 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-023-02982-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Given the sparse data on the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and its biological effector molecules ACE1 and ACE2 in pediatric COVID-19 cases, we investigated whether the ACE1 insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism could be a genetic marker for susceptibility to COVID-19 in Egyptian children and adolescents. METHODS This was a case-control study included four hundred sixty patients diagnosed with COVID-19, and 460 well-matched healthy control children and adolescents. The I/D polymorphism (rs1799752) in the ACE1 gene was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), meanwhile the ACE serum concentrations were assessed by ELISA. RESULTS The ACE1 D/D genotype and Deletion allele were significantly more represented in patients with COVID-19 compared to the control group (55% vs. 28%; OR = 2.4; [95% CI: 1.46-3.95]; for the DD genotype; P = 0.002) and (68% vs. 52.5%; OR: 1.93; [95% CI: 1.49-2.5] for the D allele; P = 0.032). The presence of ACE1 D/D genotype was an independent risk factor for severe COVID-19 among studied patients (adjusted OR: 2.6; [95% CI: 1.6-9.7]; P < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS The ACE1 insertion/deletion polymorphism may confer susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection in Egyptian children and adolescents. IMPACT Recent studies suggested a crucial role of renin-angiotensin system and its biological effector molecules ACE1 and ACE2 in the pathogenesis and progression of COVID-19. To our knowledge, ours is the first study to investigate the association of ACE1 I/D polymorphism and susceptibility to COVID-19 in Caucasian children and adolescents. The presence of the ACE1 D/D genotype or ACE1 Deletion allele may confer susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and being associated with higher ACE serum levels; may constitute independent risk factors for severe COVID-19. The ACE1 I/D genotyping help design further clinical trials reconsidering RAS-pathway antagonists to achieve more efficient targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naglaa F Boraey
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt
| | - Marwa A Bebars
- Department of Pediatrics, Princess Alexandra hospital, Harlow, UK
| | - Ali A Wahba
- Department of Pediatrics at SSMC (Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | | | - Mohamed Atif Attia
- Department of Pediatrics at SKMC (Sheikh khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Ahmed H Elsayed
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine for Boys, Al-Azhar University, Al-Azhar, Egypt
| | - Khalid A Rashed
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine for Boys, Al-Azhar University, Al-Azhar, Egypt
| | - Ehab I Sorour
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine for Boys, Al-Azhar University, Al-Azhar, Egypt
| | - Mohamed F Ahmed
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine for Boys, Al-Azhar University, Al-Azhar, Egypt
| | | | - Attia A Soliman
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Mohamed M M Shehab
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Eman M Elhindawy
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Ahmed A A Ibraheem
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Hassan Shehata
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Yousif M Yousif
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Mustafa I A Hashem
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Amani A Ahmed
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Ahmed A Emam
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
| | - Dalia M Gameil
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Eman M Abdelhady
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Khalil Abdelkhalek
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Walaa E M A Morsi
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Dalia M Selim
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ain-Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Suzan A Razek
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ain-Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Bassem Ashraf
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Ahmed S E Saleh
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt
| | - Heba H Eltrawy
- Department of Chest diseases, Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Al-Azhar, Egypt
| | - Mohamed I Alanwar
- Department of Cardiothoracic surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Rania A Fouad
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, College of Medicine, AlMaarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Walaa E Omar
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Rehab M Nabil
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Mohamed R Abdelhamed
- Department of Clinical pathology, Faculty of Medicine for Boys, Al-Azhar University, Al-Azhar, Egypt
| | - Mona Yousri Ibrahim
- Department of Clinical pathology, Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Al-Azhar, Egypt
| | - Mai M Malek
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Mona R Afify
- Department of Medical microbiology and Parasitology. Faculty of Medicine, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohanned T Alharbi
- Department of Medical microbiology and Parasitology. Faculty of Medicine, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed K Nagshabandi
- Department of Medical microbiology and Parasitology. Faculty of Medicine, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muyassar K Tarabulsi
- Department of Medical microbiology and Parasitology. Faculty of Medicine, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Esmail Qashqary
- Department of Family and community medicine, University Medical Center, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Laila M Almoraie
- Department of Family and community medicine, University Medical Center, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hanan F Salem
- Department of Anesthesia, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Banha, Egypt
| | - Manal M Rashad
- Department of Anesthesia, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Sonya A A El-Gaaly
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain-Shams University, Ain-Shams, Egypt
| | - Nahawand A El-Deeb
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Amany M Abdallah
- Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Ahmed R Fakhreldin
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Aswan University, Aswan, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Hassouba
- Department of Pediatrics, SUNY Downstate Health Science University, Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Yasmine M Massoud
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain-Shams University, Ain-Shams, Egypt
| | - Mona S M Attaya
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Al-Azhar, Egypt
| | - Mohammed K Haridi
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
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Doenhardt M, Hufnagel M, Diffloth N, Hübner J, Mauer R, Schneider DT, Simon A, Tenenbaum T, Trotter A, Armann J, Berner R. Epidemiology of 7375 children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19 in Germany, reported via a prospective, nationwide surveillance study in 2020-2022. Sci Rep 2024; 14:47. [PMID: 38168119 PMCID: PMC10762173 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49210-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
By means of a nationwide, prospective, multicenter, observational cohort registry collecting data on 7375 patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 admitted to children's hospitals in Germany, March 2020-November 2022, our study assessed the clinical features of children and adolescents hospitalized due to SARS-CoV-2, evaluated which of these patients might be at highest risk for severe COVID-19, and identified underlying risk factors. Outcomes tracked included: symptomatic infection, case fatality, sequelae at discharge and severe disease. Among reported cases, median age was one year, with 42% being infants. Half were admitted for reasons other than SARS-CoV-2. In 27%, preexisting comorbidities were present, most frequently obesity, neurological/neuromuscular disorders, premature birth, and respiratory, cardiovascular or gastrointestinal diseases. 3.0% of cases were admitted to ICU, but ICU admission rates varied as different SARS-CoV-2 variants gained prevalence. Main risk factors linked to ICU admission due to COVID-19 were: patient age (> 12 and 1-4 years old), obesity, neurological/neuromuscular diseases, Trisomy 21 or other genetic syndromes, and coinfections at time of hospitalization. With Omicron, the group at highest risk shifted to 1-4-year-olds. For both health care providers and the general public, understanding risk factors for severe disease is critical to informing decisions about risk-reduction measures, including vaccination and masking guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maren Doenhardt
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Markus Hufnagel
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Natalie Diffloth
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Johannes Hübner
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians- Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - René Mauer
- Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Dominik T Schneider
- Clinic of Pediatrics, Municipal Hospital Dortmund, University Witten, Herdecke, Germany
| | - Arne Simon
- Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Children's Hospital Medical Center, University Clinics, Saarland, Germany
| | - Tobias Tenenbaum
- Clinic for Child and Adolescent Medicine, Sana Klinikum Lichtenberg, Academic Teaching Hospital, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Trotter
- Children's Hospital and Center for Perinatal Medicine, Teaching Hospital of the University of Freiburg, Singen, Germany
| | - Jakob Armann
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Reinhard Berner
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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41
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Dias CS, Diniz LM, Oliveira MCL, Simões E Silva AC, Colosimo EA, Mak RH, Pinhati CC, Galante SC, Veloso IY, Martelli-Júnior H, Oliveira EA. Outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 and Seasonal Viruses Among Children Hospitalized in Brazil. Pediatrics 2024; 153:e2023064326. [PMID: 38213278 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2023-064326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Understanding how severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) interacts with other respiratory viruses is crucial for developing effective public health strategies in the postpandemic era. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal viruses in children and adolescents hospitalized with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI). METHODS This population-based, retrospective cohort study included children and adolescents hospitalized with SARI from February 2020 to February 2023 in Brazil. The main exposure of interest was viral etiology. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Competing risk analysis was used to account for time dependency and competing events. RESULTS A total of 235 829 patients had available results of the viral tests, with SARS-CoV-2 predominance. According to the competing-risk survival analysis, the estimated probability of a fatal outcome at 30 days of hospitalization according to the viral strain was 6.5%, 3.4%, 2.9%, 2.3%, 2.1%, and 1.8%, for SARS-CoV-2, coinfection, adenovirus, influenza, other viruses, and respiratory syncytial virus, respectively. Individuals with a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 had hazard of death 3 times higher than subjects with a negative test (hazard ratio, 3.3; 95% confidence interval, 3.1-3.5). After adjustment by the competing-risk multivariable analysis, admission in Northeast and North regions, oxygen saturation <95%, and the presence of comorbidities were risk factors for death in all viral strains. CONCLUSIONS SARS-CoV-2 infection had the highest hazard of in-hospital mortality in this pediatric cohort hospitalized with SARI. Regardless of viral etiology, the presence of underlying medical conditions was a risk factor for death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiane S Dias
- Department of Pediatrics, Health Sciences Postgraduate Program, School of Medicine
| | - Lilian M Diniz
- Department of Pediatrics, Health Sciences Postgraduate Program, School of Medicine
| | | | | | - Enrico A Colosimo
- Department of Statistics, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Robert H Mak
- Department of Pediatrics, Rady Children's Hospital, University of California, San Diego
| | - Clara C Pinhati
- Department of Pediatrics, Health Sciences Postgraduate Program, School of Medicine
| | - Stella C Galante
- Department of Pediatrics, Health Sciences Postgraduate Program, School of Medicine
| | - Isadora Y Veloso
- Department of Pediatrics, Health Sciences Postgraduate Program, School of Medicine
| | - Hercílio Martelli-Júnior
- Health Science/Primary Care Postgraduate Program, State University of Montes Claros (Unimontes), Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Eduardo A Oliveira
- Department of Pediatrics, Health Sciences Postgraduate Program, School of Medicine
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Korzeniewska-Eksterowicz A, Brzezinska O, Dryja U, Matczak D, Sopilnyak A, Szuszkiewicz E, Przysło Ł, Szmyd K, Jabłońska K, Krych P, Wojtków-Zielińska A, Wąsińska E, Niedźwiecki M. COVID-19 in pediatric palliative care patients: Multicenter, retrospective cohort study. Palliat Med 2024; 38:150-155. [PMID: 37937380 DOI: 10.1177/02692163231206928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies have shown the risk factors for COVID-19 severity in children, including comorbidities, but information on the infection course in children with life-limiting conditions is sparse. AIM To describe the effect of COVID-19 on pediatric patients receiving palliative care due to life-limiting conditions. DESIGN We conducted retrospective cohort study. The WHO Clinical Progression Scale was used to measure COVID-19 severity. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS Seven of the 24 invited pediatric palliative care centers participated in this study. We analyzed the medical records of children under palliative care with confirmed COVID-19 (January 2020-April 2022). RESULTS Records of 60 patients with COVID-19 aged 0.24 to 21.6 years (mean (SD); 9.8 (6.6)) were collected. The largest group of patients with COVID-19 was children with congenital malformations and chromosomal abnormalities (42%); the most common manifestation was fever (85%). Bacterial coinfection was confirmed in 17 (28%) children. Fifteen (25%) children required hospitalization, including four admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Mild COVID-19 was identified in 44 (73%) children, moderate in 11 (18%), severe in 3 (5%), and death in 2 (3%). Six of the 20 eligible children were vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, followed by 16 mothers and fathers. CONCLUSION In the study population initial presentation of COVID-19 was predominantly a mild; however, the small sample size precluded definitive conclusions. For children under palliative care, we should identify if they have an advance care plan for COVID-19, such as desires for intensive care support. Further studies are needed to define the short and long-term effects of COVID-19 in children with life-limiting conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Korzeniewska-Eksterowicz
- Pediatric Palliative Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Oncology and Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
- Gajusz Foundation-Pediatric Palliative Care Center, Lodz, Poland
| | - Olga Brzezinska
- Department of Rheumatology With Subdepartment of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Urszula Dryja
- Gajusz Foundation-Pediatric Palliative Care Center, Lodz, Poland
| | - Dominka Matczak
- Gajusz Foundation-Pediatric Palliative Care Center, Lodz, Poland
| | - Andriy Sopilnyak
- Pediatric Palliative Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Oncology and Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
- Gajusz Foundation-Pediatric Palliative Care Center, Lodz, Poland
| | | | - Łukasz Przysło
- Department of Developmental Neurology and Epileptology, Research Institute of Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital, Lodz, Poland
| | - Krzystof Szmyd
- Hospice for Children of Lower Silesia "Formula Dobra," Wrocław, Poland
| | | | - Piotr Krych
- Home Children's Hospice Promyczek, Otwock, Poland
| | | | | | - Maciej Niedźwiecki
- Department of Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
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Alshehri SS, Minhaji BI, Pasha MR, Fouda D, Joseph J, Ahmed N. Characteristics and Outcomes of Children With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection Admitted to a Quaternary Hospital: A Single-Center Experience. Cureus 2024; 16:e52532. [PMID: 38371066 PMCID: PMC10870100 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.52532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives In the setting of the recent global pandemic, children infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus causing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presented to our hospital with a variety of symptoms ranging from mild to severe disease including multiorgan dysfunction. Our objective was to study the clinical profile, risk factors, complications, and outcomes in pediatric patients admitted to our center with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods This retrospective observational study was conducted at a large quaternary center in Riyadh between May 2020 and September 2021. The study population was comprised of children between 0 and ≤14 years with SARS-CoV-2 suspicion or positivity. Results One hundred and fifty-six children were included in the study, the majority of whom were 1-10 years old. One hundred and twenty of them (76.93%) were SARS-CoV-2 positive. Fifty-nine patients (37.18%) were labelled as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) based on clinical and lab criteria, of whom 35 (22.44%) tested SARS-CoV-2 positive. Hematological disease was found to be the most common comorbidity, followed by neurological and chronic lung diseases. The most common symptoms encountered were fever, cough, vomiting, fatigue, and diarrhea. Eighty patients (51%) required pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission (length of stay: 5-12 days), among whom 32 (40%) required ventilation, 26 (32.5%) needed hemodynamic support, and three patients (3.75%) underwent continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). The overall mortality rate was 4.5% (seven patients) among the studied population. The most frequent lab abnormalities were found to be elevated serum ferritin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels. Ninety-one percent received antibiotics, and prophylactic anticoagulant was used in 32%. In the MIS-C subset, 80.5% received steroids, 71.43% intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and 5.17% (three patients) tocilizumab. Conclusion The SARS-CoV-2 infection presented with a range of severity among our cohort of children; however, most of the patients responded well to appropriate supportive treatment. A slight male preponderance was noted. The most common symptoms encountered were fever, cough, vomiting, fatigue, and diarrhea. Inflammatory markers such as ESR, CRP, serum ferritin, and LDH levels were found to be elevated in nearly all patients. Raised serum lactate and serum creatinine and lymphopenia were of significant note in patients with MIS-C. Higher mortality rates were observed in patients with MIS-C and those requiring respiratory support. In addition to these two factors, the presence of comorbidities and the need for CRRT were associated with prolonged PICU length of stay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saleh S Alshehri
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Bushra I Minhaji
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Mohsina R Pasha
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Dina Fouda
- Pharmaceutical Care Services, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Jency Joseph
- Nursing Administration, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Nehad Ahmed
- Clinical Pharmacy, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, SAU
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Shafaei B, Nafei Z, Karimi M, Behniafard N, Shamsi F, Faisal M, Amel Shahbaz AP, Akbarian E. Which Groups of Children Are at More Risk of Fatality during COVID-19 Pandemic? A Case-Control Study in Yazd, Iran. THE CANADIAN JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES & MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY = JOURNAL CANADIEN DES MALADIES INFECTIEUSES ET DE LA MICROBIOLOGIE MEDICALE 2023; 2023:8838056. [PMID: 38130842 PMCID: PMC10735732 DOI: 10.1155/2023/8838056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Introduction The study aims to investigate the characteristics, comorbidities, laboratory findings, and clinical manifestations of under 18-year-old patients who died with the diagnosis of COVID-19 and determination of the most prevalent risk factors. Method This case-control study was performed at a referral hospital in Yazd from March 2020 to August 2021. All patients under 18 years who were diagnosed through real-time RT-PCR, chest computed tomography, and the World Health Organization definition were divided into deceased and survived groups. The characteristics (age and sex), disease severity, comorbidities, laboratory findings, and clinical manifestations of the two groups were compared and analyzed using SPSS, version 18 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, III., USA). Results A total of 24 patients in the deceased group and 167 patients in the survived group were compared. The highest mortality rate was observed in the age group of 1 month to 5 years, although no statistically significant relationship was found between age groups and the risk of mortality. Disease severity, dyspnea, low oxygen saturation on admission, length of hospital stays, and hospitalization history before the last admission were significantly correlated with mortality (P < 0.05). Lymphopenia increased the probability of mortality by more than two times (OR: 2.568; 95% CI (0.962-6.852)), but this was not the case for D-dimer and C-reactive protein. Furthermore, 27.5% of survived patients had normal chest CT scans, which was a statistically significant difference compared to the deceased patients (P: 0.031). Conclusion Based on the findings of this study, dyspnea, low oxygen saturation, and lymphopenia are critical indicators for identifying high-risk children with COVID-19 and triaging them for better care and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behnam Shafaei
- Children Growth Disorder Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Zahra Nafei
- Children Growth Disorder Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Mehran Karimi
- Children Growth Disorder Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Nasrin Behniafard
- Children Growth Disorder Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Farimah Shamsi
- Center of Healthcare Data Modeling, Department of Biostatics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Masoud Faisal
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Amir Pasha Amel Shahbaz
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Elahe Akbarian
- Children Growth Disorder Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
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Ishihara T, Tagami T, Hirayama A, Nakamura Y, Sueyoshi K, Okamoto K, Tanaka H. Therapeutic interventions and the length of hospital stay for pediatric patients with COVID-19: a multicenter cohort study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21450. [PMID: 38052970 PMCID: PMC10697937 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48904-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The evidence for pediatric patients with COVID-19 was very limited, which was attributed to the small number of the cases as well as the rare incidence of severe pneumonia in this population. This retrospective cohort study aimed to identify the characteristics of pediatric patients with COVID-19 in the early period of the pandemic by analyzing Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) data in Japan. This retrospective cohort analysis of Japanese multicenter research on COVID-19 using DPC data compared the outcomes and costs of treatment for pediatric patients with COVID-19. Of 4700 patients with COVID-19, 186 pediatric patients were included in this study. Among the included pediatric patients, 17 received therapeutic drugs specifically for COVID-19, while the remaining 169 pediatric patients received only symptomatic therapy. There were no significant differences in the length of hospital stay (9 vs. 8 days, p = 0.96), and medical cost (97,585 vs. 73,291 JPY) for the intervention and control groups, respectively by multiple regression analysis. This is the first epidemiological study to use DPC data to summarize the pathophysiology of pediatric patients in the early period of COVID-19 pandemic. There was no significant difference in length of hospital stay or medical cost by intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadashi Ishihara
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Juntendo University, Urayasu Hospital, 2-1-1, Tomioka, Urayasu-city, Chiba, 279-0021, Japan.
| | - Takashi Tagami
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Nippon Medical School Musashikosugi Hospital, Kawasaki-city, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Atsushi Hirayama
- Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita-city, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yuki Nakamura
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Juntendo University, Urayasu Hospital, 2-1-1, Tomioka, Urayasu-city, Chiba, 279-0021, Japan
| | - Koichiro Sueyoshi
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Juntendo University, Urayasu Hospital, 2-1-1, Tomioka, Urayasu-city, Chiba, 279-0021, Japan
| | - Ken Okamoto
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Juntendo University, Urayasu Hospital, 2-1-1, Tomioka, Urayasu-city, Chiba, 279-0021, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Tanaka
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Juntendo University, Urayasu Hospital, 2-1-1, Tomioka, Urayasu-city, Chiba, 279-0021, Japan
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Benenson-Weinberg T, Gross I, Bamberger Z, Guzner N, Wolf D, Gordon O, Nama A, Hashavya S. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in Infants Younger Than 90 Days Presenting to the Pediatric Emergency Department: Clinical Characteristics and Risk of Serious Bacterial Infection. Pediatr Emerg Care 2023; 39:929-933. [PMID: 37039445 DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000002940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES There are scant data on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in infants younger than 90 days. This study was designed to characterize COVID-19 presentation and clinical course in this age group and evaluate the risk of serious bacterial infection. METHODS Data on all SARS-CoV-2-polymerase chain reaction-positive infants presenting to the pediatric emergency department (PED) were retrospectively collected, followed by a case-control study comparing those infants presenting with fever (COVID group) to febrile infants presenting to the PED and found to be SARS-CoV-2 negative (control group). RESULTS Of the 96 PCR-positive SARS-CoV-2 infants who met the inclusion criteria, the most common presenting symptom was fever (74/96, 77.1%) followed by upper respiratory tract infection symptoms (42/96, 43.8%). Four (4.2%) presented with symptoms consistent with brief resolved unexplained event (4.2%).Among the febrile infants, the presenting symptoms and vital signs were similar in the COVID and control groups, with the exception of irritability, which was more common in the control group (8% and 26%; P < 0.01). The SARS-CoV-2-positive infants had decreased inflammatory markers including: C-reactive protein (0.6 ± 1 mg/dL vs 2.1 ± 2.7 mg/dL; P < 0.0001), white blood cell count (9.3 ± 3.4 × 10 9 /L vs 11.8 ± 5.1 × 10 9 /L; P < 0.001), and absolute neutrophils count (3.4 ± 2.4 × 10 9 /L vs 5.1 ± 3.7 × 10 9 /L; P < 0.001). The rate of invasive bacterial infection was similar between groups (1.4% and 0%; P = 0.31). No mortality was recorded. Although not significantly different, urinary tract infections were less common in the COVID group (7% and 16%; P = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS The SARS-CoV-2 infection in infants aged 0 to 90 days who present to the PED seems to be mostly mild and self-limiting, with no increased risk of serious bacterial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Dana Wolf
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Oren Gordon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Ahmad Nama
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
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Jafari M, Mahalati Y, Zarei E, Kazemi MM, Irompour A, Sadri A, AzadiYekta H. Clinical Manifestations Laboratory Tests Abdominal Ultrasonic Findings and In-hospital Prognosis of COVID-19 in 185 Pediatric Cases in a Tertiary Center. ARCHIVES OF IRANIAN MEDICINE 2023; 26:679-687. [PMID: 38431948 PMCID: PMC10915921 DOI: 10.34172/aim.2023.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, there is little information about the different clinical aspects of COVID-19 in children. In this study, we assessed the clinical manifestations, outcome, ultrasound, and laboratory findings of pediatric COVID-19. METHODS This retrospective study was conducted on 185 children with definitive diagnosis of COVID-19 between 2021 and 2022. The patients' information was retrieved from hospital records. RESULTS The average age of the patients was 5.18 ± 4.55 years, and 61.1% were male. The most frequent clinical manifestation was fever (81.1%) followed by cough (31.9%), vomiting (20.0%), and diarrhea (20.0%). Mesenteric lymphadenitis was common on ultrasound and found in 60% of cases. In-hospital death was identified in 3.8% of cases. The mean length of hospital stay was 8.5 days. Mandating intensive care unit (ICU) stay was found in 19.5% and 5.9% of cases were intubated. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), lower arterial oxygen saturation, higher white blood cell (WBC) count, and higher C-reactive protein (CRP) were the main determinants of death. Lower age, respiratory distress, early onset of clinical manifestations, lower arterial oxygen saturation, lower serum hemoglobin (Hb) level, and higher CRP level could predict requiring ICU admission. CONCLUSION We recommend close monitoring on CRP, serum Hb level, WBC count, and arterial level of oxygenation as clinical indicators for potential progression to critical illness and severe disease. Mesenteric lymphadenitis is a common sonographic finding in pediatric COVID-19 which can cause abdominal pain. Ultrasound is helpful to avoid unnecessary surgical interventions in COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Jafari
- Department of Radiology Aliasghar Children’s Hospital School of Medicine Iran University of Medical Science Tehran Iran
| | - Yasaman Mahalati
- Department of Radiology Aliasghar Children’s Hospital School of Medicine Iran University of Medical Science Tehran Iran
| | - Elham Zarei
- Department of Radiology Aliasghar Children’s Hospital School of Medicine Iran University of Medical Science Tehran Iran
| | - Mohammad Mahdi Kazemi
- Department of Radiology Aliasghar Children’s Hospital School of Medicine Iran University of Medical Science Tehran Iran
| | - Arsalan Irompour
- Department of Radiology Aliasghar Children’s Hospital School of Medicine Iran University of Medical Science Tehran Iran
| | - Amirhoessein Sadri
- Department of Radiology Aliasghar Children’s Hospital School of Medicine Iran University of Medical Science Tehran Iran
| | - Hamed AzadiYekta
- Department of Radiology Aliasghar Children’s Hospital School of Medicine Iran University of Medical Science Tehran Iran
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Alqanatish J, Almojali A, Alfadhel A, Albelali A, Ahmed A, Alqahtani A, Alrasheed A, Alsewairi W, Alghnam S. COVID-19 and Pediatric Rheumatology: A Comprehensive Study from a Leading Tertiary Center in Saudi Arabia. J Epidemiol Glob Health 2023; 13:676-684. [PMID: 37594620 PMCID: PMC10686932 DOI: 10.1007/s44197-023-00142-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has emerged as a significant global health concern, impacting millions of individuals worldwide. However, there remains a notable gap in the literature regarding pediatric studies, specifically focusing on children with rheumatic diseases and the potential risk factors associated with COVID-19 contraction in this specific patient population. Patients with rheumatic diseases are often undergoing immunemodulator/immunosuppressant therapies, which can further complicate their immune system response to infections. This is a retrospective cohort study conducted at King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital (KASCH), the largest tertiary care children's hospital in Saudi Arabia. The aim was to investigate the rate, clinical manifestations, risk factors, and outcomes of COVID-19 infection in pediatric patients with rheumatic diseases. All rheumatology patients (< 19 years) who presented to the hospital as outpatients, inpatients, and/or ER visits during the period of March 2020 to March 2022 were reviewed for confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. Among 482 patients included in this study, 126 (26.1%, 95% CI 21.8-31.1) had COVID-19 infection, and no factors were identified to increase the risk of contracting the virus. Fever (55.6%, n = 70) followed by respiratory symptoms (55.6%, n = 70) were the most common clinical manifestations, and around 30% of the patients were asymptomatic. Though most of the patients recovered without complications (97.6%, n = 123), mortality was reported in 3 patients (2.38%). The risk of hospitalization was almost 6 times higher in males (OR = 5.97), and higher in patients receiving t-DMARDs (OR = 17.53) or glucocorticoids (OR = 6.69). The study also revealed that vaccinated children were at lower risk of hospitalization due to COVID-19 than non-vaccinated children. The findings of this study help to identify the risk factors for COVID-19 among children with rheumatic diseases and provide insight into the impact of the pandemic on this group. Overall, while most cases were mild and resolved on their own, unvaccinated patients and those receiving t-DMARDs or glucocorticoids needs vigilant monitoring during the COVID-19 infection. Furthermore, we strongly advocate for the widespread promotion of COVID-19 vaccination among pediatric rheumatology patients as it significantly reduces their risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jubran Alqanatish
- College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City (National Guard Health Affairs), 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Abdullah Almojali
- College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City (National Guard Health Affairs), 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulmajeed Alfadhel
- College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City (National Guard Health Affairs), 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Areej Albelali
- College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City (National Guard Health Affairs), 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amal Ahmed
- King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City (National Guard Health Affairs), 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah Alqahtani
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulrhman Alrasheed
- College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City (National Guard Health Affairs), 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Wafaa Alsewairi
- College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City (National Guard Health Affairs), 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Suliman Alghnam
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), 14611, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Sarkar M, Mahapatra MK, Ghosh S, Chowdhoury SR, Kazi MA, Datta K. Infant COVID-19 Infection: An Experience from Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary Care Dedicated Pediatric COVID Hospital. J Pediatr Intensive Care 2023; 12:256-263. [PMID: 37970143 PMCID: PMC10631833 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1731785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to assess different clinical, disease severity, laboratory, treatment, and outcome-related factors of COVID-19 positive infants admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and to compare these parameters with COVID-19 positive noninfants (1-12 years of age) who also required intensive care admission. This retrospective observational study was conducted in a PICU of a tertiary care, dedicated pediatric COVID facility. The clinical, epidemiological, laboratory parameters, and treatment outcomes of COVID-19 infected infants admitted to the PICU were recorded and analyzed. During comparison with the noninfant group, malignancy and coinfection with dengue and scrub typhus were excluded from both groups. A total 313 COVID-19 positive children aged from 1 month to 12 years old were admitted, of which 115 (36.7%) children required PICU admission. Infants constituted 37.4% of total PICU admissions. Most common symptoms were respiratory (83.7%) followed by fever (60.5%). Fifteen (34.9%) infants presented with shock. Ten infants (23.3%) had myocardial dysfunction. C-reactive protein (CRP) and ferritin were high in 60.5 and 16.7% infants, respectively. Fourteen infants needed invasive mechanical ventilation. Nine patients had acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and five had MIS-C. However, 53.5% infants had different comorbidities. Four infants died and all of them had severe comorbidities. Respiratory distress ( p = 0.009), pediatric sequential organ failure assessment score ( p = 0.032) and number of ARDS cases ( p = 0.044) were significantly higher in infants than noninfants. Infants are one of the most vulnerable groups of children suffering from serious illness from COVID-19 infection requiring PICU admission due to predominantly respiratory involvement. Overall outcome was good among infants without significant comorbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihir Sarkar
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | | | - Sanajit Ghosh
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | | | - Maha Ashraf Kazi
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Kalpana Datta
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
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Batista KS, de Albuquerque JG, de Vasconcelos MHA, Bezerra MLR, da Silva Barbalho MB, Pinheiro RO, Aquino JDS. Probiotics and prebiotics: potential prevention and therapeutic target for nutritional management of COVID-19? Nutr Res Rev 2023; 36:181-198. [PMID: 34668465 PMCID: PMC8593414 DOI: 10.1017/s0954422421000317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Scientists are working to identify prevention/treatment methods and clinical outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Nutritional status and diet have a major impact on the COVID-19 disease process, mainly because of the bidirectional interaction between gut microbiota and lung, that is, the gut-lung axis. Individuals with inadequate nutritional status have a pre-existing imbalance in the gut microbiota and immunity as seen in obesity, diabetes, hypertension and other chronic diseases. Communication between the gut microbiota and lungs or other organs and systems may trigger worse clinical outcomes in viral respiratory infections. Thus, this review addresses new insights into the use of probiotics and prebiotics as a preventive nutritional strategy in managing respiratory infections such as COVID-19 and highlighting their anti-inflammatory effects against the main signs and symptoms associated with COVID-19. Literature search was performed through PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus and Web of Science databases; relevant clinical articles were included. Significant randomised clinical trials suggest that specific probiotics and/or prebiotics reduce diarrhoea, abdominal pain, vomiting, headache, cough, sore throat, fever, and viral infection complications such as acute respiratory distress syndrome. These beneficial effects are linked with modulation of the microbiota, products of microbial metabolism with antiviral activity, and immune-regulatory properties of specific probiotics and prebiotics through Treg cell production and function. There is a need to conduct clinical and pre-clinical trials to assess the combined effect of consuming these components and undergoing current therapies for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Sabino Batista
- Experimental Nutrition Laboratory, Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Cidade Universitária, s/n-Castelo Branco III, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
- Post Graduate Program in Nutrition Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Cidade Universitária, s/n-Castelo Branco III, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
| | - Juliana Gondim de Albuquerque
- Experimental Nutrition Laboratory, Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Cidade Universitária, s/n-Castelo Branco III, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
- Post Graduate Program in Nutrition Sciences, Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Cidade Universitária s/n, Recife, Brazil
- Post Graduate in Biotechnology, Division of Biological and Health Sciences, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Maria Helena Araújo de Vasconcelos
- Experimental Nutrition Laboratory, Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Cidade Universitária, s/n-Castelo Branco III, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
- Post Graduate Program in Nutrition Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Cidade Universitária, s/n-Castelo Branco III, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
| | - Maria Luiza Rolim Bezerra
- Experimental Nutrition Laboratory, Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Cidade Universitária, s/n-Castelo Branco III, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
- Post Graduate Program in Nutrition Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Cidade Universitária, s/n-Castelo Branco III, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
| | - Mariany Bernardino da Silva Barbalho
- Experimental Nutrition Laboratory, Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Cidade Universitária, s/n-Castelo Branco III, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
| | - Rafael Oliveira Pinheiro
- Experimental Nutrition Laboratory, Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Cidade Universitária, s/n-Castelo Branco III, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
- Post Graduate Program in Nutrition Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Cidade Universitária, s/n-Castelo Branco III, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
| | - Jailane de Souza Aquino
- Experimental Nutrition Laboratory, Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Cidade Universitária, s/n-Castelo Branco III, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
- Post Graduate Program in Nutrition Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Cidade Universitária, s/n-Castelo Branco III, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
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