Coronary artery and immunological status in PostCOVID-19 children in sarajevo

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: The Coronavirus disease 2019/COVID-19/exerts an unprecedented global impact on public health and health care delivery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge on SARS-CoV-2, epidemiology, clinical presentation including cardiovascular and immunological status in postCovid children. Method(s) A group of 70 children/previously healthy or with no pre-existing heart disease/from Sarajevo with positive postcovid history, formed this study. Patients were evaluated at the Polyclinic Eurofarm in Sarajevo, from October 2020 till April 2021. Following history and epidemiological data, a detailed cardio-vascular examination has been performed including oxygen satu-ration, pulse, blood pressure, electrocardiogram/ECG/, values of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), serological tests for corona, lab-oratory blood tests and echocardiography. Result(s) The group consisted of 70 children/40 boys/ infants 10, 1-5 years 20;6-1012;11-1521;16-18 years 7;forming five groups. Symptoms differ depending on age group, younger chil-dren had no or mild symptoms in comparison to the older group of children. The values of immunoglobulin G were significantly higher in the older group of children with (p lt;0.05;p = 0.043) indicating that the immune system with age is more responsive to the virus. PCR test was negative in 9/70 children. The majority of children/64.3 %/were asymptomatic. Two boys aged 14 years, had palpitation on exertion, shortness of breath, ECG changes, lower oxygen saturation/91% and 94%/, elevated creatinine phosphokinase miofibrilae/CPKMB/ 38 and 45, in one patient the diameter of left coronary artery/LCA/was enlarged up do 3.8mm, no aneurysm, no skin changes, with normal ejection frac-tion of left ventricle. They were on short period/10-15days/of treatment with nonsteroids including low doses of Aspirin, vita-mins/C and D/, rest and no sport activities. After treatment and a regime of no activities, they were fully recovered, free of symptoms, with normal oxygen saturation, normal values of CPKMB, diameter of LCA was within a normal range according to age and body weight of the patient. Conclusion(s) Practitioners should consider the possibility of COVID-19 in children with atypical symptomatology and posi-tive or suspicious epidemiological survey, paying special attention to coronary and immunological status.