TY - JOUR
T1 - Epidemiology, Clinical Features and Prognostic Factors of Pediatric SARS-CoV-2 Infection
T2 - Results From an Italian Multicenter Study
AU - Italian SITIP-SIP Pediatric Infection Study Group
AU - Garazzino, Silvia
AU - Vecchio, Andrea Lo
AU - Pierantoni, Luca
AU - Carducci, Francesca Ippolita Calò
AU - Marchetti, Federico
AU - Meini, Antonella
AU - Castagnola, Elio
AU - Vergine, Gianluca
AU - Donà, Daniele
AU - Bosis, Samantha
AU - Dodi, Icilio
AU - Venturini, Elisabetta
AU - Felici, Enrico
AU - Giacchero, Roberta
AU - Denina, Marco
AU - Pierri, Luca
AU - Nicolini, Giangiacomo
AU - Montagnani, Carlotta
AU - Krzysztofiak, Andrzej
AU - Bianchini, Sonia
AU - Marabotto, Caterina
AU - Tovo, Pier Angelo
AU - Pruccoli, Giulia
AU - Lanari, Marcello
AU - Villani, Alberto
AU - Gattinara, Guido Castelli
AU - Valeria, Caldarelli
AU - Maria, Salvini Filippo
AU - Giovanni, Corsello
AU - Paolo, Del Barba
AU - Paola, Berlese
AU - Carlo, Agostoni
AU - Chiara, Ghizzi
AU - Vera, Quadri
AU - Sara, Riscassi
AU - Ivana, Rabbone
AU - Carmelina, Calitri
AU - Luisa, Abbagnato
AU - Luciana, Parola
AU - Giuseppe, Banderali
AU - Ilaria, Pacati
AU - Simonetta, Cherubini
AU - Paola, Lippi
AU - Andrea, Guala
AU - Rino, Agostiniani
AU - Salvatore, Cazzato
AU - Ahmad, Kantar
AU - Luca, Baroero
AU - Nadia, Rossi
AU - Cristina, Dalmazzo
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright © 2021 Garazzino, Lo Vecchio, Pierantoni, Calò Carducci, Marchetti, Meini, Castagnola, Vergine, Donà, Bosis, Dodi, Venturini, Felici, Giacchero, Denina, Pierri, Nicolini, Montagnani, Krzysztofiak, Bianchini, Marabotto, Tovo, Pruccoli, Lanari, Villani, Castelli Gattinara and the Italian SITIP-SIP Pediatric Infection Study Group.
PY - 2021/3/16
Y1 - 2021/3/16
N2 - Background: Many aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adolescents remain unclear and optimal treatment is debated. The objective of our study was to investigate epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic characteristics of pediatric SARS-CoV-2 infection, focusing on risk factors for complicated and critical disease. Methods: The present multicenter Italian study was promoted by the Italian Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, involving both pediatric hospitals and general pediatricians/family doctors. All subjects under 18 years of age with documented SARS-CoV-2 infection and referred to the coordinating center were enrolled from March 2020. Results: As of 15 September 2020, 759 children were enrolled (median age 7.2 years, IQR 1.4; 12.4). Among the 688 symptomatic children, fever was the most common symptom (81.9%). Barely 47% of children were hospitalized for COVID-19. Age was inversely related to hospital admission (p < 0.01) and linearly to length of stay (p = 0.014). One hundred forty-nine children (19.6%) developed complications. Comorbidities were risk factors for complications (p < 0.001). Viral coinfections, underlying clinical conditions, age 5–9 years and lymphopenia were statistically related to ICU admission (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Complications of COVID-19 in children are related to comorbidities and increase with age. Viral co-infections are additional risk factors for disease progression and multisystem inflammatory syndrome temporarily related to COVID-19 (MIS-C) for ICU admission.
AB - Background: Many aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adolescents remain unclear and optimal treatment is debated. The objective of our study was to investigate epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic characteristics of pediatric SARS-CoV-2 infection, focusing on risk factors for complicated and critical disease. Methods: The present multicenter Italian study was promoted by the Italian Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, involving both pediatric hospitals and general pediatricians/family doctors. All subjects under 18 years of age with documented SARS-CoV-2 infection and referred to the coordinating center were enrolled from March 2020. Results: As of 15 September 2020, 759 children were enrolled (median age 7.2 years, IQR 1.4; 12.4). Among the 688 symptomatic children, fever was the most common symptom (81.9%). Barely 47% of children were hospitalized for COVID-19. Age was inversely related to hospital admission (p < 0.01) and linearly to length of stay (p = 0.014). One hundred forty-nine children (19.6%) developed complications. Comorbidities were risk factors for complications (p < 0.001). Viral coinfections, underlying clinical conditions, age 5–9 years and lymphopenia were statistically related to ICU admission (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Complications of COVID-19 in children are related to comorbidities and increase with age. Viral co-infections are additional risk factors for disease progression and multisystem inflammatory syndrome temporarily related to COVID-19 (MIS-C) for ICU admission.
KW - COVID-19
KW - MIS-C
KW - SARS-CoV-2 infection
KW - children
KW - multisystem inflammatory syndrome
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85103369764&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fped.2021.649358
DO - 10.3389/fped.2021.649358
M3 - Article
SN - 2296-2360
VL - 9
JO - Frontiers in Pediatrics
JF - Frontiers in Pediatrics
M1 - 649358
ER -
