Evaluation of reported medical services provided to pediatric viral bronchiolitis diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Mitigation strategies were implemented during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that slowed the spread of this virus and other respiratory viruses. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of COVID-19 mitigation strategies on the medical services that children less than 1 year of age with acute bronchiolitis required (emergency department services, hospitalization, critical care services, and mechanical ventilation). METHODS: This was a retrospective observational cohort study utilizing TriNetX ® electronic health record (EHR) data. We included subjects less than 1 year of age with a diagnosis of acute bronchiolitis. After the query, the study population was divided into two groups [pre-COVID-19 (March 1st, 2019 until February 29th, 2020) and COVID-19 (March 1st, 2020 until February 1th, 2021)]. We analyzed the following data: age, sex, race, diagnostic codes, common terminology procedures (CPT), and antimicrobials administered. RESULTS: A total of 5063 subjects (n,%) were included [4378 (86.5%) pre-COVID-19 and 685 (13.5%) during the COVID-19 pandemic]. More subjects were diagnosed with acute bronchiolitis in the pre-COVID time frame (4378, 1.8% of all hospitalizations) when compared to the COVID-19 pandemic time frame (685, 0.5%). When diagnosed with acute bronchiolitis, the frequency of emergency department services, critical care services, hospitalization, and mechanical ventilationwere similar between the two cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, less infants were diagnosed with acute bronchiolitis but the frequency of emergency department services, hospitalization, and mechanical ventilation, reportedly required was similar. Longer-term studies are needed to evaluate the benefits of COVID-19 mitigation strategies on common viruses that require critical care.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of common respiratory viruses in children < 2 years with bronchiolitis in the pre-COVID-19 pandemic era.

INTRODUCTION: The advent of genome amplification assays has allowed description of new respiratory viruses and to reconsider the role played by certain respiratory viruses in bronchiolitis. This systematic review and meta-analysis was initiated to clarify the prevalence of respiratory viruses in children with bronchiolitis in the pre-COVID-19 pandemic era. METHODS: We performed an electronic search through Pubmed and Global Index Medicus databases. We included observational studies reporting the detection rate of common respiratory viruses in children with bronchiolitis using molecular assays. Data was extracted and the quality of the included articles was assessed. We conducted sensitivity, subgroups, publication bias, and heterogeneity analyses using a random effect model. RESULTS: The final meta-analysis included 51 studies. Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) was largely the most commonly detected virus 59.2%; 95% CI [54.7; 63.6]). The second predominant virus was Rhinovirus (RV) 19.3%; 95% CI [16.7; 22.0]) followed by Human bocavirus (HBoV) 8.2%; 95% CI [5.7; 11.2]). Other reported viruses included Human Adenovirus (HAdV) 6.1%; 95% CI [4.4; 8.0]), Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) 5.4%; 95% CI [4.4; 6.4]), Human Parainfluenzavirus (HPIV) 5.4%; 95% CI [3.8; 7.3]), Influenza 3.2%; 95% CI [2.2; 4.3], Human Coronavirus (HCoV) 2.9%; 95% CI [2.0; 4.0]), and Enterovirus (EV) 2.9%; 95% CI [1.6; 4.5]). HRSV was the predominant virus involved in multiple detection and most codetections were HRSV + RV 7.1%, 95% CI [4.6; 9.9]) and HRSV + HBoV 4.5%, 95% CI [2.4; 7.3]). CONCLUSIONS: The present study has shown that HRSV is the main cause of bronchiolitis in children, we also have Rhinovirus, and Bocavirus which also play a significant role. Data on the role played by SARS-CoV-2 in children with acute bronchiolitis is needed. REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO, CRD42018116067.

A 14-year Prospective Study of Human Coronavirus Infections in Hospitalized Children: Comparison With Other Respiratory Viruses.

BACKGROUND: Human coronaviruses (HCoVs) have been recognized as causative agents of respiratory tract infections.Our aim was to describe HCoV infections in hospitalized children in a prospective surveillance study for 14 years and compare them with other respiratory viruses. METHODS: As a part of an ongoing prospective study to identify the etiology of viral respiratory infections in Spain, we performed the analysis of HCoV infections in children hospitalized in a secondary hospital in Madrid, between October 2005 and June 2018. Clinical data of HCoV patients were compared with those infected by rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus and influenza. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 5131 hospitalizations for respiratory causes in children. A total of 3901 cases (75.9%) had a positive viral identification and 205 cases (4.1%) were positive for HCoV. Only 41 cases (20%) of HCoV infection were detected as single infections. Episodes of recurrent wheezing were the most common diagnosis, and 112 children (54%) had hypoxia. Clinical data in HCoV cases were similar to those associated with rhinovirus; however, patients with HCoV were younger. Other viruses were associated with hypoxia more frequently than cases with HCoV; high fever was more common in influenza infections and bronchiolitis in respiratory syncytial virus group. Although a slight peak of circulation appears mostly in winter, HCoV has been detected throughout the year as well. CONCLUSIONS: HCoV infections represent a small fraction of respiratory infections that require hospitalization in children and their characteristics do not differ greatly from other respiratory viral infections.