Pediatric Critical Care and COVID-19.

Abstract

* Abbreviations: ARDS — : acute respiratory distress syndrome COVID-19 — : coronavirus disease 2019 GI — : gastrointestinal HFNC — : high-flow nasal cannula IMV — : invasive mechanical ventilation IVIg — : intravenous immunoglobulin NIV — : noninvasive ventilation Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, disproportionally affects adults (children <5% in most reports).1 Adult critical illness is characterized by acute hypoxemia, multiorgan failure, and high mortality.2,3 Reported risk factors for severe illness include age, cardiorespiratory comorbidities, obesity, and laboratory findings (lymphopenia and elevated D-dimer).2,4 Pediatric reports describe low infection rates and infrequent PICU admission.5,6 The largest PICU report consists of 48 North American children.7 It describes treatments and outcomes but not with … Address correspondence to Sebastian Gonzalez-Dambrauskas, MD, Red Colaborativa Pediatrica de Latinoamerica and Cuidados Intensivos Pediatricos Especializados, Casa de Galicia, Montevideo, Uruguay. E-mail: sgdambrauskas{at}gmail.com