Characteristics and Management of Children With COVID-19 in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Turkey

Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2021 Mar;60(3):170-177. doi: 10.1177/0009922820966306. Epub 2020 Oct 9.

Abstract

Introduction: Limited data are available for pediatric patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), especially with regard to disease management strategies.

Objective: To assess the children with COVID-19.

Method: We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of pediatric patients on March 11 and May 23, 2020.

Results: We evaluated 77 COVID-19 pediatric patients, of whom 45.5% were male, with a median age of 8 years (interquartile range [IQR] = 2-13), and 6.4% had underlying diseases. Patients were classified according to severity, with the percentages of asymptomatic, mild, moderate, and critical/severe cases determined to be 24.7%, 41.6%, 29.9%, and 3.9%, respectively. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and mechanic ventilation were only required for 1 patient. Targeted therapies were used in 3 patients.

Conclusion: The disease course of COVID-19 appears to be milder in children than in adults, and the treatment course primarily consists of supportive care.

Keywords: COVID-19; Turkey; children.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Amides
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • COVID-19 / pathology*
  • COVID-19 / physiopathology
  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydroxychloroquine
  • Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / therapeutic use*
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lung / physiopathology
  • Male
  • Pediatrics / methods
  • Pyrazines
  • Retrospective Studies
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Tertiary Care Centers
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Turkey

Substances

  • Amides
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Immunoglobulins, Intravenous
  • Pyrazines
  • Hydroxychloroquine
  • favipiravir