A Systematic Review of Characteristics Associated with COVID-19 in Children with Typical Presentation and with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome

Which Groups of Children Are at More Risk of Fatality during COVID-19 Pandemic? A Case-Control Study in Yazd, Iran

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.

Clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection who followed rigorous measures during two years of the COVID-19 pandemic in a hospital in Mexico

Background

COVID-19 infections have been described as asymptomatic or mild, with a low incidence of severe cases in children and adolescents who followed the basic hygiene measures. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of our pediatric population during four waves of the COVID-19 pandemic from a private hospital.

Methods

A retrospective observational study in patients under 15 years old with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test from April 1, 2020 to April 30, 2022. Demographic, clinical, and therapy variables were examined, and the Chi-square test was used for comparisons.

Results

From 5,870 RT-PCR taken through the first two years of the pandemic, 1,371 tested positive, obtaining a positivity rate of 23.37%. Patients' median (IQR) age was 9.0 (7.0) years, and most were male (n = 705, 51.4%). The primary comorbidities were rhinitis (n = 239, 17.4%) and asthma (n = 172, 12.5%). Most cases were scholars (n = 568, 41.4%) during the fourth COVID-19 wave (n = 831, 60.6%). Almost all cases (88.2%) reported prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2-infected households. Six percent (n = 82) of the patients reported being vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. Most participants (89.3%) received outpatient care, and 0.6% required hospitalization. Nine (0.6%) patients were diagnosed with Multisystemic Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). The second COVID-19 wave reported a higher frequency of anosmia and dysgeusia; the third wave reported fever and malaise, and the fourth wave reported cough, odynophagia, and vomiting (p < 0.05). The second wave reported no treatment (n = 23, 15.3%), while the third and fourth waves reported outpatient care and hospitalization (n = 367, 95.1%; and n = 4, 1.0%, respectively) (p = <0.001). Reinfection cases were frequent during the second wave (n = 8, 5.3%) (p=<0.001). Rhinorrhea, vomiting, and diarrhea were reported mainly by infants; fever by preschoolers; abdominal pain by scholars; and headache, odynophagia, anosmia, dysgeusia, myalgia, arthralgia, and malaise by adolescents (p < 0.05). Neither treatment nor reinfection showed age-related differences (p = 0.496 and p = 0.224, respectively).

Conclusion

The study demonstrated a lower positive rate for SARS-CoV-2 in our hospital'The majority of cases in our study were outpatients who reported a mild infection with a favorable evolution based on symptomatic treatment.

Identifying and Validating Pediatric Hospitalizations for MIS-C Through Administrative Data

BACKGROUND

Individual children's hospitals care for a small number of patients with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Administrative databases offer an opportunity to conduct generalizable research; however, identifying patients with MIS-C is challenging.

METHODS

We developed and validated algorithms to identify MIS-C hospitalizations in administrative databases. We developed 10 approaches using diagnostic codes and medication billing data and applied them to the Pediatric Health Information System from January 2020 to August 2021. We reviewed medical records at 7 geographically diverse hospitals to compare potential cases of MIS-C identified by algorithms to each participating hospital's list of patients with MIS-C (used for public health reporting).

RESULTS

The sites had 245 hospitalizations for MIS-C in 2020 and 358 additional MIS-C hospitalizations through August 2021. One algorithm for the identification of cases in 2020 had a sensitivity of 82%, a low false positive rate of 22%, and a positive predictive value (PPV) of 78%. For hospitalizations in 2021, the sensitivity of the MIS-C diagnosis code was 98% with 84% PPV.

CONCLUSION

We developed high-sensitivity algorithms to use for epidemiologic research and high-PPV algorithms for comparative effectiveness research. Accurate algorithms to identify MIS-C hospitalizations can facilitate important research for understanding this novel entity as it evolves during new waves.

The safety of COVID-19 vaccination in immunocompromised children and young adults with immune-mediated inflammatory disease

AIM

To assess safety of COVID-19 vaccination in paediatric patients with immune-mediated inflammatory disease (IMID).

METHODS

Subjects of 5-21 years of age with IMID who received at least one COVID-19 vaccine completed electronic surveys after each vaccine to assess side effects within 1 week of vaccination, current medications and COVID-19 testing after vaccination. Charts were reviewed for COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction and IgG response to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein results and for disease flare during the study period.

RESULTS

Among 190 enrolled subjects, 71% were female, with median age 17 (range 6-21) years. The most common diagnosis was juvenile idiopathic arthritis/rheumatoid arthritis (55%). 78% of subjects were taking immunosuppressive medication. At least one side effect was reported in 65% of subjects after any dose of the vaccine; with side effects in 38%, 53% and 55% of subjects after the first, second and third vaccine doses, respectively. The most common side effects were injection site pain (59%), fatigue (54%) and headache (39%). No anaphylaxis or myocarditis was reported. Three subjects (2%) experienced disease flare.

CONCLUSION

In our cohort of paediatric patients with IMID, observed side effects were found to be mild and disease flare rates were found to be low following COVID-19 vaccination.

Cardiac manifestations in children with the multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection: Systematic review and meta-analysis

According to the World Health Organisation, as of October 2022, there have been 55,560,329 reported cases of SARS-COV-2 in patients under 19 years old. It is estimated that about 0.06% of these patients may develop MIS-C, representing more than 2 million children worldwide. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the pooled prevalence of cardiovascular manifestation and cardiac complications in children hospitalised with MIS-C. The PROSPERO register number is CRD42022327212. We included case-report studies, case-control studies, cohort studies, and cross-sectional studies, as well as clinical trials or studies describing cardiac manifestations of MIS-C and its sequelae in a paediatric population. Initially, 285 studies were selected, but there were 154 duplicates, and 81 were excluded because they did not fit the eligibility criteria. Thus, 50 studies were selected for review, and 30 were included in the meta-analysis. A total sample size of 1445 children was included. The combined prevalence of myocarditis or pericarditis was 34.3% (95% CI: 25.0%-44.2%). The combined prevalence for echocardiogram anomalies was 40.8% (95% CI: 30.5%-51.5%), that of Kawasaki disease presentation was 14.8% (95% CI: 7.5%-23.7%), and that of coronary dilation was 15.2% (95% CI: 11.0%-19.8%). The rate of electrocardiogram anomalies was 5.3% (95% CI: 0.8%-12.3%), and the mortality rate was 0.5% (CI 95%: 0%-1.2%). Furthermore, 186 children still had complications at discharge, with a combined prevalence of such long-lasting manifestations of 9.3% (95% CI: 5.6%-13.7%). Studies that assess whether these children will have an increased cardiovascular risk with a greater chance of acute myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, or thrombosis will be essential for healthcare planning.

From Co-Infections to Autoimmune Disease via Hyperactivated Innate Immunity: COVID-19 Autoimmune Coagulopathies, Autoimmune Myocarditis and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children

Neutrophilia and the production of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are two of many measures of increased inflammation in severe COVID-19 that also accompany its autoimmune complications, including coagulopathies, myocarditis and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). This paper integrates currently disparate measures of innate hyperactivation in severe COVID-19 and its autoimmune complications, and relates these to SARS-CoV-2 activation of innate immunity. Aggregated data include activation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD) receptors, NOD leucine-rich repeat and pyrin-domain-containing receptors (NLRPs), retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) and melanoma-differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA-5). SARS-CoV-2 mainly activates the virus-associated innate receptors TLR3, TLR7, TLR8, NLRP3, RIG-1 and MDA-5. Severe COVID-19, however, is characterized by additional activation of TLR1, TLR2, TLR4, TLR5, TLR6, NOD1 and NOD2, which are primarily responsive to bacterial antigens. The innate activation patterns in autoimmune coagulopathies, myocarditis and Kawasaki disease, or MIS-C, mimic those of severe COVID-19 rather than SARS-CoV-2 alone suggesting that autoimmunity follows combined SARS-CoV-2-bacterial infections. Viral and bacterial receptors are known to synergize to produce the increased inflammation required to support autoimmune disease pathology. Additional studies demonstrate that anti-bacterial antibodies are also required to account for known autoantigen targets in COVID-19 autoimmune complications.

ICU Admission, Invasive Mechanical Ventilation, and Mortality among Children and Adolescents Hospitalized for COVID-19 in a Private Healthcare System

Aim

The COVID-19 pandemic devastated healthcare around the world. Data about the COVID-19 outcomes among young people are still scarce. We aim to identify factors associated with the composite outcome among children and adolescents hospitalized due to COVID-19.

Methods

We performed a search in the database of a large Brazilian private healthcare system. Insured people aged 21 years or younger who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 from Feb/28th/2020 to Nov/1st/2021 were included. The primary endpoint was the composite outcome consisting of ICU admission, need for invasive mechanical ventilation, or death.

Results

We evaluated 199 patients who had an index hospitalization due to COVID-19. The median monthly rate of index hospitalization was 2.7 (interquartile range [IQR], 1.6-3.9) per 100,000 clients aged 21 years or less. The median age of the patients was 4.5 years (IQR, 1.4-14.1). At the index hospitalization, the composite outcome rate was 26.6%. The composite outcome was associated with all the previous coexisting morbidities evaluated. The median follow-up was 249.0 days (IQR, 152.0-438.5). There were 27 readmissions (16 patients) within 30 days after the discharge.

Conclusions

In conclusion, hospitalized children and adolescents had a composite outcome rate of 26.6% at the index hospitalization. Having previous chronic morbidity was associated with the composite.

Physiologic Scoring Systems in Predicting the COVID-19 Patients' one-month Mortality; a Prognostic Accuracy Study

Introduction : It is critical to quickly and easily identify severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and predict their mortality. This study aimed to determine the accuracy of the physiologic scoring systems in predicting the mortality of COVID-19 patients. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was performed on COVID-19 patients admitted to the emergency department (ED). The clinical characteristics of the participants were collected by the emergency physicians and the accuracy of the Quick Sequential Failure Assessment (qSOFA), Coronavirus Clinical Characterization Consortium (4C) Mortality, National Early Warning Score-2 (NEWS2), and Pandemic Respiratory Infection Emergency System Triage (PRIEST) scores for mortality prediction was evaluated. Results: Nine hundred and twenty-one subjects were included. Of whom, 745 (80.9%) patients survived after 30 days of admission. The mean age of patients was 59.13 ± 17.52 years, and 550 (61.6%) subjects were male. Non-Survived patients were significantly older (66.02 ± 17.80 vs. 57.45 ± 17.07, P< 0.001) and had more comorbidities (diabetes mellitus, respiratory, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular disease) in comparison with survived patients. For COVID-19 mortality prediction, the AUROCs of PRIEST, qSOFA, NEWS2, and 4C Mortality score were 0.846 (95% CI [0.821-0.868]), 0.788 (95% CI [0.760-0.814]), 0.843 (95% CI [0.818-0.866]), and 0.804 (95% CI [0.776-0.829]), respectively. All scores were good predictors of COVID-19 mortality. Conclusion: All studied physiologic scores were good predictors of COVID-19 mortality and could be a useful screening tool for identifying high-risk patients. The NEWS2 and PRIEST scores predicted mortality in COVID-19 patients significantly better than qSOFA.

Acute Neurological Presentation in Children With SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Background

In the pediatric population, the knowledge of the acute presentation of SARS-CoV-2 infection is mainly limited to small series and case reports, particularly when dealing with neurological symptoms. We describe a large cohort of children with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, focusing on the neurological manifestations and investigating correlations between disease severity and population demographics.

Methods

Patients aged 0-18 years with a positive molecular swab were recruited between April 2020 and March 2021 from a tertiary Italian pediatric centre. Clinical data, imaging, and laboratory test results were retrieved from our local dataset and statistically analyzed.

Results

A total of 237 patients with a median age of 3.2 years were eligible; thirty-two (13.5%) presented with neurological symptoms, including headache (65.6%), altered awareness (18.8%), ageusia/anosmia (12.5%), seizures (6.3%), and vertigo (6.3%), combined in 7 (21.9%) cases. Respiratory (59.5%) and gastrointestinal (25.3%) symptoms were the most common among the 205 (86.5%) patients without neurological involvement. Neurological symptoms did not significantly influence the severity of the triage access codes. Moreover, pre-existing medical conditions were not higher in the group with neurological manifestations. Overall, fifty-nine patients (25%, 14/59 with neurological symptoms) required treatment, being antibiotics, systemic steroids, and heparin those most prescribed.

Conclusion

Our study supports the overall benign course of the SARS-CoV-2 infection in children. Neurological manifestations, except for headache, remain a rare presenting symptom, and disease severity seems unrelated to pre-existing medical conditions.

Clinical update on COVID-19 for the emergency clinician: Presentation and evaluation

INTRODUCTION

Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in millions of cases worldwide. As the pandemic has progressed, the understanding of this disease has evolved.

OBJECTIVE

This first in a two-part series on COVID-19 updates provides a focused overview of the presentation and evaluation of COVID-19 for emergency clinicians.

DISCUSSION

COVID-19, caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Several variants exist, including a variant of concern known as Delta (B.1.617.2 lineage) and the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529 lineage). The Delta variant is associated with higher infectivity and poor patient outcomes, and the Omicron variant has resulted in a significant increase in infections. While over 80% of patients experience mild symptoms, a significant proportion can be critically ill, including those who are older and those with comorbidities. Upper respiratory symptoms, fever, and changes in taste/smell remain the most common presenting symptoms. Extrapulmonary complications are numerous and may be severe, including the cardiovascular, neurologic, gastrointestinal, and dermatologic systems. Emergency department evaluation includes focused testing for COVID-19 and assessment of end-organ injury. Imaging may include chest radiography, computed tomography, or ultrasound. Several risk scores may assist in prognostication, including the 4C (Coronavirus Clinical Characterisation Consortium) score, quick COVID Severity Index (qCSI), NEWS2, and the PRIEST score, but these should only supplement and not replace clinical judgment.

CONCLUSION

This review provides a focused update of the presentation and evaluation of COVID-19 for emergency clinicians.

Progress in the Diagnosis and Treatment of COVID-19 in Children: A Review

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been circulating in many countries around the world, characterized by long incubation period, strong infectivity, strong variability, high population susceptibility and diversified transmission methods. Its causative agent is severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Compared with adult patients, the clinical manifestations of COVID-19 in children are often dominated by mild or asymptomatic infections, but children are also important virus carriers and play an important role in the transmission of the virus. In addition, some children will show excessive inflammatory response and experience serious complications such as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). At present, the research on COVID-19 in children is still imperfect. This article will review epidemiological characteristics, the mechanism of action, variant characteristics, clinical manifestations, auxiliary examinations and treatment of children with COVID-19, in order to provide help for the diagnosis, treatment and research of children with COVID-19.

COVID-19 in Pediatric Inpatients: A Multi-Center Observational Study of Factors Associated with Negative Short-Term Outcomes

Most cases of COVID-19 in children and adolescents are mild or asymptomatic, but a small number of individuals may develop severe disease, requiring PICU admission and/or mechanical ventilation. We assessed the factors associated with negative short-term outcomes of COVID-19 in 82 pediatric patients at three hospitals within the United States during the spring and summer of 2020 using medical records, laboratory data, and imaging studies of all patients admitted with a positive RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2. We found that older patients were more likely to have an extended hospital stay, and those with high BMIs (over 25) were more likely to be admitted to the PICU during the early pandemic. In addition, older patients, those with high BMIs, and those with underlying medical conditions, were more likely to receive respiratory support. Given the association of age, BMI, and underlying medical conditions with more severe COVID-19, clinicians should keep these factors in mind when treating patients.