CLINICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL FEATURES OF CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19) IN CHILDREN OF DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS

Abstract

Aim of the study: to establish anamnestic, epidemiological, clinical and laboratory features in children of different age groupswith laboratory confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 in the course of the circulation period of the Omikron strain.Material and methods. 51 children, aged 0-18 years, with coronavirus infection manifestations and a positive PCR test forSARS-CoV-2 during the circulation period of the Omicron strain were followed up. The children had hemogram, serum glucose level, CRP, procalcitonin, coagulogram, PCR test for SARS-CoV-2, and chest radiography.Results. It was established that 23 children with SARS-CoV-2 (45.2 %) had little contact with ARVI. Almost 75% of childrenunder one year of age had a negative rapid test for SARS-CoV-2. The main complaint at the time of hospitalization in children was fever (94.1%). A change in leukocyte count was found to be present in only 47% of the children. Lymphocytosis with monocytosis prevailed in the leukocytic formula over granulocytosis (58.8 and 43.1%, respectively) (p<0.05). Chest radiography revealed pneumonia in 39.3% of children, and the inflammatory process was more often localized in the right lung (62.5%) (p<0.05). Sixty percent of children with pneumonia had blood saturation levels ≥ 95, 30% of children were between 92-94%, and only two children (10%) had blood saturation levels ≤ 91. An increase in serum fibrinogen B was detected in 35.3% of patients with pneumonia, and an increase in serum procalcitonin in 23.5% of patients with pneumonia. In 96.1% of children body temperature normalization occurred during the first five days of inpatient treatment, with 41.2% of children already on the first day.Conclusions. Thus, among patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in the course of the circulation period ofthe Omicron strain, children under the age of 6 prevailed. About half of all children (45.2%) had contact with ARVI patients. The main complaint of the children at the time of hospitalization was fever, which was within the range of subfebrile and febrile figures, thirty children had hyperthermia. Changes in hemogram parameters were detected in 47% of children, with leukocytosis predominantly in young children, but leukopenia was characteristic of school-age children. X-ray signs of acute bronchitis were found in 43.1% of children, and 39.3% of children had signs of segmental or multisegmental pneumonia, mainly in school-aged children with rightsided lesions in most cases. Every tenth child with pneumonia had low blood saturation levels (≤91%), and every third child with pneumonia had increased serum fibrinogen B and procalcitonin. While staying at the hospital, normalization of body temperature was observed in the first five days in the majority of patients, and in almost a half of cases (41,2%) - during the first day.