Abstract
This study scrutinizes management and clinical presentation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in pediatric inpatient care and evaluates the utilization of pediatric healthcare capacity during the pandemic. Within this retrospective cohort study, we systematically reviewed data of all 16,785 pediatric patients (<18 years admitted to our clinical center between January 2018 and June 2021). Data on SARS-CoV-2 test numbers, hospital admissions and clinical characteristics of infected patients were collected. Since January 2020, a total of 2513 SARS-CoV-2 tests were performed. In total, 36 patients had a positive test result. In total, 25 out of 36 SARS-CoV-2 positive children showed at least mild clinical symptoms while 11 were asymptomatic. Most common clinical symptoms were fever (60%), cough (60%) and rhinitis (20%). In parallel with the rising slope of SARS-CoV-2 in spring and fall 2020, we observed a slight decrease in the number of patients admitted to the pediatric department while the median duration of hospital treatment and intensive care occupancy remained unchanged. This study underlines that SARS-CoV-2 infected children most frequently exhibit an asymptomatic or mild clinical course. Noteworthy, the number of hospital admissions went down during the pandemic. The health and economic consequences need to be discussed within health care society and politics.
Highlights
In December 2019, a pneumonia associated novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was identified in China and rapidly spread across the world causing significant morbidity and mortality [1,2]
Children infected with SARS-CoV-2 most frequently exhibit an asymptomatic or mild clinical course and less frequently need to be hospitalized or transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) [6,7]
It is assumed that the SARS-CoV-2-pandemic and the consecutive lockdowns have affected the rate of hospital admissions [9], but data pertaining to pediatric hospitalization rates has not been sufficiently studied to date
Summary
In December 2019, a pneumonia associated novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was identified in China and rapidly spread across the world causing significant morbidity and mortality [1,2]. The coronavirus infectious disease 19 (COVID-19) can cause severe respiratory illness such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and pneumonia and may affect other organ systems such as coagulation or nervous systems [3,4,5]. Children infected with SARS-CoV-2 most frequently exhibit an asymptomatic or mild clinical course and less frequently need to be hospitalized or transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) [6,7]. It is assumed that the SARS-CoV-2-pandemic and the consecutive lockdowns have affected the rate of hospital admissions [9], but data pertaining to pediatric hospitalization rates has not been sufficiently studied to date. (3) The frequency and severity of clinical symptoms among SARS-CoV-2 positive children Our study aimed to gather more information and carry out analyses on the following three points: (1) The incidence of positive SARSCoV-2 test results and symptomatic COVID-19 among hospitalized children. (2) The effect of COVID-19 on the frequency and duration of inpatient treatment. (3) The frequency and severity of clinical symptoms among SARS-CoV-2 positive children
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
