Comparing serum ferritin levels during COVID-19 infection and recovery period in pediatric patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia, a single-center study.

Background: Ferritin has been recognized as a predictor of severity among Coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) patients. Studies have shown higher levels of ferritin in patients with COVID-19 than in healthy children. Patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) basically have high ferritin level due to iron overload. It is uncertain whether serum ferritin level in these patients is associated with COVID-19 infection. Objective: To evaluate ferritin levels in TDT with COVID-19 before, during, and after the course of infection. Methods: This retrospective study enrolled all TDT children with COVID-19 infection that were hospitalized in Ulin General Hospital Banjarmasin during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020 to June 2022). Data were collected from medical records. Results: There were 14 patients included in this study, 5 patients had mild symptoms and 9 patients were asymptomatic. The mean of hemoglobin level upon admission was 8.1 ± 3 g/dL and serum ferritin level were 5148.5 ± 2651.8 ng/mL. The average serum ferritin level during COVID-19 infection was 2373.2 ng/mL higher than before infection and then decreased by 952.4 ng/mL after infection. We found no association of increasing serum ferritin with patients' symptoms (p = 0.27). The severity of anemia also was not correlated with the presentation of COVID-19 infection (p = 0.902). Conclusion: Serum ferritin levels in TDT children may not reflect disease severity or predict poor outcomes during COVID-19 infection. However, the presence of other co-morbid conditions/confounders warrants cautious interpretation.

Pelayanan imunisasi dasar pada bayi di bawah usia 12 bulan dan faktor yang memengaruhi di RSUD Wangaya kota Denpasar selama masa pandemi COVID-19

Pandemi Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) merupakan kegawatan internasional di bidang kesehatan masyarakat yang membebani sistem kesehatan dan mengganggu kelangsungan layanan kesehatan rutin termasuk imunisasi dasar. Akibatnya jumlah anak yang diimunisasi menurun berisiko terjangkit penyakit yang dapat dicegah dengan imunisasi dan terjadi kejadian luar biasa di tengah pandemi. Tujuan. Mengetahui kondisi layanan imunisasi dasar pada bayi <12 bulan selama masa pandemi COVID-19 dan faktor yang memengaruhi.Metode. Studi potong lintang ini melibatkan bayi <12 bulan yang mendapat imunisasi dasar di Poliklinik Anak RSUD Wangaya pada Januari-Juli 2019 dan 2020. Data diperoleh dari buku registrasi imunisasi poliklinik anak.Hasil. Kunjungan imunisasi dasar pada Januari-Juli 2020 dan 2019 adalah 123 dan 368 pasien. Dibandingkan dengan kunjungan keseluruhan poliklinik anak persentasenya 131% dan 219% (p<0.001). Tren kunjungan per bulan berbeda bermakna pada Mei (p<0.001) Juni (p=0.026) dan Juli (p=00.36). Terjadi penurunan kunjungan pasien sehat sedangkan pasien dengan kelainan penyerta (bayi dari ibu HIV/AIDS berat badan lahir rendah dst) relatif tetap (p<0.001). Kesimpulan. Masa pandemi COVID-19 memengaruhi pelayanan imunisasi dasar di rumah sakit berupa penurunan jumlah kunjungan dibandingkan tahun sebelumnya periode yang sama. Faktor yang berpengaruh adalah alasan kunjungan pasien imunisasi.