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Pediatría (Asunción)

On-line version ISSN 1683-9803

Abstract

MORILLA, Laura; MOREL, Zuny  and  PAVLICICH, Viviana. Clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with COVID-19 in an emergency department. Pediatr. (Asunción) [online]. 2020, vol.47, n.3, pp.124-131. ISSN 1683-9803.  https://doi.org/10.31698/ped.47032020002.

Introduction:

The epidemiological and clinical patterns of COVID-19 infection remain unclear, especially among children.

Objective:

To describe epidemiological and clinical aspects of COVID-19 cases treated in a Pediatric Emergency Department between March and September 2020.

Materials and Methods:

This was an observational, descriptive and retrospective study of a series of consecutive cases. Patients aged 0-18 years were included in a non-probability sampling. The variables analyzed were: demographic data, pediatric evaluation triangle, contact situation, symptoms, clinical picture, hospitalization, nutritional status, laboratory analysis and images. Data were analyzed in SPSS V21 using descriptive statistics

Results:

56 patients were admitted. 37.5% were under 2 years old and 32% had comorbid conditions. 51.8% were hospitalized. The median time of hospitalization was 48 (P25 6- P75 90) hours. The predominant clinical picture was lower airway infection. 9% presented severe or critical symptoms, and 5.4% were admitted to intensive care. There was 1 deceased patient, who had severe comorbidities. The PCR was performed with a median of 4 days (min. 0 max. 10) of symptom onset

Conclusion:

More than a third of the patients with Covid -19 were under 2 years of age and 32% had a comorbidity. The clinical picture was mild in 70% of the cases, although more than half were hospitalized and 5.4% were admitted to intensive care. The most frequent clinical presentation was upper airway involvement followed by pneumonia. One patient with severe comorbidities died.

Keywords : COVID-19; children; emergency.

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