Clinical Profile of COVID-19 Illness in Children-Experience from a Tertiary Care Hospital.

OBJECTIVE

To detail clinical profile and outcome in children infected with SARS-CoV-2.

METHODS

This retrospective study was undertaken at a tertiary care pediatric teaching hospital in Northern India. The data on clinical characteristics and outcome of children (< 18 y) with COVID-19 illness from April 2020-October 2020 were reviewed and analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 2919 children with suspected severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) illness were tested for novel COVID-19 virus in the flu emergency (n = 1744), severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) ward (n = 825), and non-COVID area (n = 350) of the hospital. 8.73% (255/2919) children tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Of the 255 positive cases, 144 (56.47%) were managed on an outpatient basis and 100 (59 boys) required admission in COVID ward. The mortality rate of patients with SARS-CoV-2 was 11.4% (29/255). Majority of children admitted with COVID-19 had severe to critical illness due to the presence of malnutrition and underlying comorbidities.

CONCLUSIONS

Children of all age groups were susceptible to COVID-19 illness with a slight male preponderance. Amongst infected, two-third were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms that required outpatient management and home isolation. The adverse outcomes were more commonly seen in infants and children > 10 y of age with malnutrition and comorbid illness.