Abstract
Objective
To assess the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pediatric inpatients with COVID-19, early in the pandemic.
Methods
Clinical and laboratory profile and outcomes were studied for children (aged 1 month — 18 years) presenting between 1 April, 2020 and 20 May, 2020 with positive nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR.
Results
50 children (56% male) with median (IQR) age of 6 (2–12) years were included. Majority (56%) were from families belonging to Kuppuswamy upper lower socioeconomic class. 45 (90%) had positive household contact, and 33 (66%) had overcrowding at home. 29 (58%) children were asymptomatic while 20 (40%) had mild symptoms. Fever, cough, and sore throat were the most common symptoms. High C-reactive protein levels were seen in 15 (30%) children. There was no mortality.
Conclusion
The disease burden appears high in lower socio-economic group with majority having a positive household contact. Milder disease pattern in the pediatric age group is reiterated.
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VSR,BS,AP,MC: management of the patients; VSR,BS: collected the data, reviewed the literature and drafted the first version of the manuscript; BS,JSO,NM,SL: conceptualized the study, reviewed the literature, revised the manuscript and critically reviewed the manuscript. All authors contributed to manuscript preparation and approved the final version of the manuscript.
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Institutional Ethics Committee of Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College and Hospital; No. BVUDMC/IEC/1B, dated 10 April, 2020.
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Sarangi, B., Reddy, V.S., Oswal, J.S. et al. Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of COVID-19 in Indian Children in the Initial Phase of the Pandemic. Indian Pediatr 57, 914–917 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13312-020-1994-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13312-020-1994-4