Comparison of Clinic and Demographic Characteristics of Children with Laboratory-Confirmed and Suspected COVID-19 who Admitted to Pediatric Emergency Clinic

Year 2023, , 141 - 147, 29.12.2023

Fatma Durak , Gülçin Bozlu , Asuman Akar , Merve Havan , Berfin Özgökçe Özmen , Necdet Kuyucu

https://doi.org/10.54996/anatolianjem.1252517

Abstract

Aim: To determine the frequency of COVID-19 infection in children and to compare the parameters of laboratory-confirmed and suspected cases.

Material and Methods: Medical records collected with a prospective design of 1300 pediatric patients who applied to COVID-19 triage of pediatric emergency service. Clinic and demographic characteristics of children with laboratory-confirmed and suspected COVID-19 were compared. Nasopharyngeal swab sample was taken from all pediatric patients in accordance with the possible case definition determined by the national Ministry of Health.

Results: The COVID-19 test was found positive in 94 (7.2%) children. Of those, 34.5% children had a history of contact, and 31.9% of all cases were asymptomatic. The mean age of children who were positive for COVID-19 was higher than those who were negative (p <0.001). COVID-19 positive cases had a higher domestic contact history than those who were negative (79.8% and 31%, respectively, p <0.001). The mean WBC, platelet, neutrophil, RDW, procalcitonin, CRP, LDH and total bilirubin values of COVID-19 positive patients were found as significantly lower than COVID-19 negative patients (p <0.05).

Conclusion: We found that there was a statistically significant difference between COVID-19 positive and negative patients in terms of age and laboratory parameters. We have shown that most patients with positive COVID-19 test are asymptomatic, have a high rate of contact history and require hospitalization.

Keywords

COVID-19, children, emergency, clinical course, laboratory, transmission

Project Number

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Çocuk Acil Kliniğine Başvuran Laboratuvarca Doğrulanmış ve Şüpheli COVID-19 Çocukların Klinik ve Demografik Özelliklerinin Karşılaştırılması

Abstract

Amaç: Çocuklarda COVID-19 enfeksiyonu sıklığını belirlemek ve laboratuvarca doğrulanmış ve şüpheli vakaların parametrelerini karşılaştırmak.

Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çocuk acil servisinin COVID-19 triyajına başvuran 1300 pediatrik hastadan prospektif bir tasarımla toplanan tıbbi kayıtlar alındı. Laboratuvarca doğrulanmış ve COVID-19 şüphesi olan çocukların klinik ve demografik özellikleri karşılaştırıldı. Sağlık Bakanlığı tarafından belirlenen olası vaka tanımına göre tüm pediatrik hastalardan nazofaringeal sürüntü örneği alındı.

Bulgular: 94 (%7,2) çocukta COVID-19 testi pozitif bulundu. Bunların %34,5'inde çocukların temas öyküsü vardı ve tüm vakaların %31,9'u asemptomatiktir. COVID-19 pozitif olan çocukların yaş ortalaması negatif olanlardan daha yüksekti (p <0.001). COVID-19 pozitif vakaların, negatif olanlara göre daha yüksek ev içi temas öyküsü vardı (sırasıyla %79,8 ve %31, p <0,001). COVID 19 pozitif çocuklarda ortalama beyaz kan hücresi, trombosit, nötrofil, kırmızı kan hücresi dağılım genişliği, prokalsitonin, C-reaktif protein, laktat dehidrogenaz ve total bilirubin değerleri istatistiksel olarak anlamlıydı (p <0.05).

Sonuç: Çocuklarda COVID-19 enfeksiyonu oranı nispeten düşüktür ve COVID-19 ile ilişkili bildirilen vaka serileri de pediatrik grupta erişkinlere göre daha azdır. COVID-19'un çocuklarda epidemiyolojik özellikleri ve bulaşma yolları ile ilgili önemli sayıda vaka içeren çalışmalardan biri olduğunu ve bundan sonraki çalışmalara ışık tutacağını düşünüyoruz.

Keywords

COVID-19, çocuklar, acil durum, klinik kursu, laboratuvar, bulaşma

Supporting Institution

Yok

Project Number

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Thanks

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