ABSTRACT
Background: The inflammatory reaction that is systemic to the infection with the virus (SARS-CoV-2) stands as the pathognomonic feature of this viral illness, and the majority of hospital admitted patients exhibit unusual biomarkers of inflammation. The protein C-reactive was also connected to severe illness in individuals with pneumonia caused by H1N1 influenza, and several researchers have described a link between COVID-19 disease severity and higher concentration of CRP. Aim of the study: The goal of the current research was to investigate the association among severity of COVID-19 in children, clinical presentation and the concentration of (HS-CRP). Methods and patients: The present research which is of cross sectional kind was practiced in Children and Maternity Teaching Hospital in Al-Diwaniyah Province, Iraq. The study included 200 children with COVDI-19 proved by positive RT-PCR results following nasopharyngeal swabs. The range of the age was from 1 month up to 15 years and the study included 110 males and 90 females. All children were investigated for the level of HS-CRP and the interpretation of levels was based on categorization into normal, moderate elevation, marked elevation and severe elevation. Results: The concentration of (HS-CRP) was ranging from 0.05 to 73.48 mg/L and children were classified according to the level of HS-CRP into those with normal to mild elevation (HS-CRP < 1 mg/L, n = 44), those with moderate elevation (HS-CRP between 1 and 10 mg/L, n = 91), those with marked elevation (HS-CRP between 10 mg/L and 50 mg/L, n = 55) and those with severe elevation (HS-CRP > 50 mg/L, n = 10). There was significant variation in mean age of children with COVID-19 according to the concentration of HS-CRP (p = 0.003) and there has been no variation that is significant in the gender proportion according to the concentration of HS-CRP (p = 0.576). There was no significant link between symptoms and the concentration of HS-CRP (p > 0.05). Mild disease was seen in 25 (56.8 %) and moderate disease was found in 19 (43.2 %) of cases and there has been no association that is significant between severity of disease and concentration of HS-CRP (p = 0.367). Conclusion: The concentration of HS-CRP is elevated in majority of COVID-19 cases in children and can aid in the diagnoses and it showed significant rise with age and no significant association with severity of disease or clinical features. © 2022 Universidad Tecnica de Manabi. All right reserved.
ABSTRACT
Background: In general there is susceptibility for the disease in pediatric age group (12). It has been shown that 2 % of affected individuals are children in certain parts of the world (13). Development of severe disease in children has been linked to comorbidities such as malnutrition, asthma, neuropsychiatric disorders, epilepsy, congenital abnormalities and type 1 diabetes mellitus) (14, 15). In Iraq, reports about clinical presentation and severity of disease in pediatric age group are scanty;therefore. Aim of the study: The aim of the current study was to highlight the main clinical features and clinical severity of COVID-19 in children. Patients and methods: The current cross-sectional research was conducted in Iraq's Al-Diwaniyah Province's Children and Maternity Teaching Hospital. The study included 400 children who tested positive for COVDI-19 using RT-PCR after nasopharyngeal swabs. The study included 220 males and 180 females ranging in age from 1 month to 15 years. The severity of disease was considered according to medication required so that children required no oxygen therapy were regarded as mild cases, children required oxygen therapy were regarded as moderate cases while those requiring mechanical ventilation or Continuous positive airway pressure were considered severe cases. Results: out of 400 children 244 cases (61.0 %) were considered as mild cases whereas, moderate cases were recorded in 156 cases (39.0 %). In addition, no severe presentation was reported. Mild case had higher mean age in comparison with moderate cases, 3.62 ±3.56 years versus 2.77 ±2.88 years, respectively (p = 0.013). The frequency distribution according to gender revealed no significant association between severity of disease and gender of patients (p = 0.650). Fever was the most common symptom accounting for 230 (57.5 %), followed by gastrointestinal symptoms (GIT symptoms) accounting for 192 (48.0 %), followed by cough which was reported in 156 (39.0 %), followed by sore throat which was observed in 74 (18.5 %) and finally followed by rhinorrhea that was reported in 66 (16.5 %). Sore throat and GIT symptoms were significantly associated with moderate disease (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The disease is often mild or moderate and the main clinical features were fever, upper respiratory tract manifestation and GIT manifestations. © International Journal of Health Sciences.All right reserved.
ABSTRACT
Background: The proportion of children affected with COVID-19 accounted for approximately 1 to 2 % of all infected cases and the disease often follows a mild to moderate disease. Increased coagulation and events that are thrombotic were repeatedly recorded in adult patients with COVID-19. Nevertheless, till now, there is no consensus about thrombotic events in children in published articles. Aim of the study: to make evaluation of d-dimer level in children with COVID-19 and the rate of thrombotic complications. Patients and methods: The present research that is of cross sectional type was carried out in Children and Maternity Teaching Hospital in Al-Diwaniyah Province, Iraq. The study included 168 children with COVDI-19 proved by positive RT-PCR results following nasopharyngeal swabs. The age ranged from one month up to 15 years and the study included 77 girls and 91 boys. Results: The current study included 168 children affected by COVID-9. The median level of d-dimer in those enrolled children was 0.3 µg/ml with a range of 0.05 to 11 µg/ml. According to a cutoff value of > 0.05 µg/ml, children were categorized into 73 (43.5 %) cases as having high d-dimer level and 95 (56.5 %) as having normal d-dimer level. Fever was seen in 95 (56.5 %) and it was not associated with d-dimer level (p = 0.688). Cough was seen in 66 (39.3 %) and it was also not correlated to level of d-dimer. Rhinorrhea was seen in 27 (16.1 %) and it was lower significantly in children with high d-dimer level (p = 0.045). Sore throat was seen in 30 (17.9 %) children and it was not correlated significantly to level of d-dimer (p = 0.228). GIT manifestations were seen in 80 (47.6 %) children and they were not significantly associated with d-dimer level (p = 0.187). Conclusion: “Thromboembolic or Thrombotic events are rare in pediatric age group with COVID-19 infection in spite of high rate of significantly high d-dimer level”. © International Journal of Health Sciences.All right reserved.