International studies identify predictors of serious outcomes in children with COVID-19

A New international research It provides a clearer picture of the effects of COVID-19 infection and the risk of serious consequences for adolescents around the world.

This study UC Davis HealthAnn & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine and Chicago. It tracked more than 10,300 children in 41 emergency departments in 10 countries, including the United States and Canada.

The researchers followed more than 3,200 children who tested positive for COVID-19. About 3 percent of people diagnosed with COVID-19 (107 in total) experienced serious consequences within two weeks of visiting the emergency department. In addition, 23 percent (735 people in total) were hospitalized for treatment. Serious outcomes included cardiac or cardiovascular complications such as myocarditis (inflammation of the heart), as well as neurological, respiratory, or infectious problems. Four children have died.

The study found that patients over the age of 5 with pre-existing chronic illness, previous episodes of pneumonia, and admitted to the hospital 4-7 days after the onset of symptoms were at increased risk of serious outcomes. rice field.

“The results of our study show that risk factors such as age, underlying chronic illness, and duration of symptoms are important risk factors for serious outcomes,” he said. Nathan Kupperman, Chair Department of Emergency Medicine Co-leader of research. “”

As emergency departments around the world have witnessed an influx of patients due to the pandemic and stress capacity of COVID-19, this study addresses the surge by estimating the risk of pediatric COVID-19 patients screened by the emergency department. Useful for. ” — —Nathan Kupperman

Researchers have found that children who were not hospitalized on their first emergency visit rarely get significantly worse after their first visit.

“Fortunately, the risk of developing a serious illness in a child with COVID-19 who has been discharged from the emergency department is very low,” said Anne & Robert H. Lurie, Head of Emergency Medicine Research at Chicago’s Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital. Todd Florin, a research co-leader, said. Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Northwestern University School of Medicine, Feinberg. “Our findings reassure parents and clinicians of children enough to be managed in the community, while at the same time as to which children are particularly at risk of serious consequences. It can provide important insights. ”

Asthma was previously suggested as a risk factor for serious outcomes, but this study could not confirm a link. We also did not find that very young infants were at increased risk of serious outcomes.

“Because of the influx of patients due to the pandemic and stress capacity of COVID-19 in emergency departments around the world, this study addresses the surge by estimating the risk of pediatric COVID-19 patients screened in the emergency department. It helps. ” Kupperman. “Knowing who has a risk factor for serious outcomes helps emergency physicians to triage pediatric patients more efficiently and focus a high level of care on those who do.”

The study was done within Pediatric Emergency Research Network, A global consortium of the world’s leading pediatric emergency medical research networks. We received support from the Canadian Institute of Health, Alberta Innovates, Alberta Health Services, and the University of Calgary. We also received COVID grants from the University of California, Davis, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and Anne Androbert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

“At this time, there is no concrete evidence-based treatment for children, and there is a lack of detailed study data explaining the outcomes of young people with COVID-19, so this study will help in frontline care. It provides important insights that we believe in. A provider of treating children with COVID-19, “added Stephen Friedman, a research co-leader and pediatrician and professor at Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary.