Clinical Profile of Covid-19 in Children: A single centre, retrospective study from Eastern India

ABSTRACT

Background: The burden of corona virus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) in children is less well studied compared to adults.This study is to provide Clinical Profile of children positive for COVID-19 admitted to a tertiary care hospital with focus on mode of presentation, severity of disease, associated co-morbidities, radiological and biochemical abnormali- ties and outcome. Methods: This retrospective study included 74 children positive for COVID-19 admitted to a tertiary care hospital in eastern India between March 24 and August 31, 2020. Symptomatic screening and testing for SARS -CoV-2 through RT PCR in the hospital was started on 16th March 2020 as per the prevalent national guidelines. Universal screening for COVID 19 of all the newly admitted patients to the hospital started in middle of June 2020. Results: Of the 74 children included in the study 45 (60.8%) were male, and the median age was 5 years (range 5 days –14 years). 35 patients (47.3 %) had pre-existing comorbidities, 27 patients (36.5 %) were diagnosed incidentally and 47 patients (63.5 %) presented with respiratory symptoms. 8 patients (10.8 %) required supplemental oxygen support. The median length of hospital stay was 8 days (range 5 days -20 days). Chest X ray was abnormal in 11/32 (34.4%) of chil- dren imaged. 21/73 (27.8 %) patients were from containment zones. In 31/54 (57.4%) patients, at least one family member tested positive. Hydroxychloroquine therapy was used in 10 patients (13.5 %), and azithromycin was used in 34 patients (45.9%). The case fatality rate was 2 (2.7%). Conclusions: In this single centre retrospective study, severe illness in children in terms of Intensive care unit admission and death was far less frequent. However, as the pandemic is still evolving, larger and more extensive studies with fol- low up are required for better understanding of Covid-19 in Children