A snapshot of pediatric inpatients and outpatients with COVID-19: a point prevalence study from Turkey

Abstract

This multi-center point prevalence study evaluated children who were diagnosed as having coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). On February 2nd, 2022, inpatients and outpatients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) were included in the study from 12 cities and 24 centers in Turkey. Of 8605 patients on February 2nd, 2022, in participating centers, 706 (8.2%) had COVID-19. The median age of the 706 patients was 92.50 months, 53.4% were female, and 76.7% were inpatients. The three most common symptoms of the patients with COVID-19 were fever (56.6%), cough (41.3%), and fatigue (27.5%). The three most common underlying chronic diseases (UCDs) were asthma (3.4%), neurologic disorders (3.3%), and obesity (2.6%). The SARS-CoV-2-related pneumoniae rate was 10.7%. The COVID-19 vaccination rate was 12.5% in all patients. Among patients aged over 12 years with access to the vaccine given by the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health, the vaccination rate was 38.7%. Patients with UCDs presented with dyspnea and pneumoniae more frequently than those without UCDs ( p < 0.001 for both). The rates of fever, diarrhea, and pneumoniae were higher in patients without COVID-19 vaccinations ( p = 0.001, p = 0.012, and p = 0.027). Conclusion : To lessen the effects of the disease, all eligible children should receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The illness may specifically endanger children with UCDs. What is Known: • Children with COVID-19 mainly present with fever and cough, as in adults. • COVID-19 may specifically threaten children with underlying chronic diseases. What is New: • Children with obesity have a higher vaccination rate against COVID-19 than children without obesity. • Among unvaccinated children, fever and pneumoniae might be seen at a higher ratio than among vaccinated children.

Clinical Epidemiological Characteristics and Risk Factors for Severity of SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia in Pediatric Patients: A Hospital-Based Study in Vietnam

“…In 2022, the two most prevalent symptoms were fever and cough, accounting for 89.4% and 73.9%, respectively, as reported in the majority of research [ 17 , 19 ]. Lu et al found that the most common clinical symptoms were cough (52%), fever (41%), pharyngitis (46%), diarrhea (9%), and vomiting (6%) [ 20 ].…”

“…Our median age is much lower compared to other studies. Yılmaz et al noted that the median age of SARS-CoV-2 patients in Türkiye in 2022 was 92.5 months [ 17 ]. COVID-19-associated hospitalization was defined as any person who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 while admitted to our hospital.…”