Structured Light Plethysmography (SLP) in COVID-19 children with acute respiratory symptoms

Abstract

<b>Introduction:</b> Children showed a lower prevalence of severe respiratory symptoms in acute COVID-19 infection, differently from adults. A recent study among adult patients affected by COVID-19 revealed lung function abnormality. Until now there has been no report regarding pulmonary function in COVID-19 children. Spirometry is not recommended during acute COVID-19 infection. SLP is a non-contact technology which has been used in children with asthma or neuromuscular disease. It evaluates thoracoabdominal wall movements to measure lung volumes. <b>Aims and Objectives:</b> We aimed to investigate SLP in children with COVID-19 acute respiratory symptoms and to describe their pulmonary function. <b>Methods:</b> 7 COVID-19 children with acute respiratory symptoms admitted to the Pediatric Department of Buzzi Children Hospital, Milan, Italy, were evaluated with SLP from May 2020 to January 2021. T-test was used to compare SLP parameters of COVID-19 group with healthy controls and children affected by pneumonia, before the pandemic. <b>Results:</b> Patients’age ranged from 18 months to 16 years. IE50 median value in COVID-19 children was 1.61± 0.30 with a significant difference from healthy controls (IE50 1.22±0.27; p&lt;0.05). We found no significant difference in IE50 values between COVID-19 children and children affected by pneumonia before pandemic (IE50 1.70±0.65; p&gt;0.05). <b>Conclusions:</b> This study shows an increased IE50 value resulting in mild deficiency of lung function among children with acute COVID-19 respiratory symptoms, with a difference from controls. SLP does not require contact with patients and offers a proper solution for obtaining lung function parameters during a pandemic.