tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
IJID Reg
. 2023 Jan 18.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2023.01.006. Online ahead of print.
Hospital Burden and Characteristics of Pediatric COVID-19 Based on a Multi-center Collaborative Retrospective Study in Japan
Shinsuke Mizuno[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Eiki Ogawa[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Masatoshi Nozaki[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Yoshiaki Cho[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Masashi Kasai[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Objectives: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant emergence preceded a large number of pediatric coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, putting considerable strain on hospitals across Japan. We evaluated the pediatric disease burden of COVID-19 in pediatric hospitals.
Methods: This retrospective study evaluated all pediatric patients (defined as aged <21 years) hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection or as close contacts, at four children's hospitals, between January 1, 2022, and May 31, 2022. Clinical characteristics, reasons for admission, and outcome data were analyzed.
Results: A total of 492 patients (median age, 3·0 years; male, 58·7%) were included during the study period. Of these, 232 (47·2%) patients had at least one underlying disease. Asymptomatic and mild diseases were common during the study period (n=451; 91·7%). Social reasons (including a lack of family support at home) for hospitalization accounted for 36·8% (n=181) inpatients. The median length of stay was 4·0 days. Fever was the most common symptom (n=273, 55·5%), followed by upper respiratory (n=77, 15·7%) and neurological symptoms (n=60, 12·2%). Overall, 34 (6·9%) children required invasive mechanical ventilation, 51 (10·4%) were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit, and two (0·4%) died. COVID-19 vaccination rate was low (n=14/200, 7·0%).
Conclusions: The disease burden during the Omicron-predominant period was attributable to asymptomatic and mild infections, and some patients were hospitalized for social reasons. To maintain a medical care system for critically ill patients, each medical facility must play a role according to its function.
Keywords: COVID-19; Japan; Omicron variant; hospital burden; pediatric.
. 2023 Jan 18.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2023.01.006. Online ahead of print.
Hospital Burden and Characteristics of Pediatric COVID-19 Based on a Multi-center Collaborative Retrospective Study in Japan
Shinsuke Mizuno[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Eiki Ogawa[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Masatoshi Nozaki[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Yoshiaki Cho[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Masashi Kasai[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 36688228
- PMCID: PMC9847317
- DOI: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2023.01.006
Abstract
Objectives: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant emergence preceded a large number of pediatric coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, putting considerable strain on hospitals across Japan. We evaluated the pediatric disease burden of COVID-19 in pediatric hospitals.
Methods: This retrospective study evaluated all pediatric patients (defined as aged <21 years) hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection or as close contacts, at four children's hospitals, between January 1, 2022, and May 31, 2022. Clinical characteristics, reasons for admission, and outcome data were analyzed.
Results: A total of 492 patients (median age, 3·0 years; male, 58·7%) were included during the study period. Of these, 232 (47·2%) patients had at least one underlying disease. Asymptomatic and mild diseases were common during the study period (n=451; 91·7%). Social reasons (including a lack of family support at home) for hospitalization accounted for 36·8% (n=181) inpatients. The median length of stay was 4·0 days. Fever was the most common symptom (n=273, 55·5%), followed by upper respiratory (n=77, 15·7%) and neurological symptoms (n=60, 12·2%). Overall, 34 (6·9%) children required invasive mechanical ventilation, 51 (10·4%) were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit, and two (0·4%) died. COVID-19 vaccination rate was low (n=14/200, 7·0%).
Conclusions: The disease burden during the Omicron-predominant period was attributable to asymptomatic and mild infections, and some patients were hospitalized for social reasons. To maintain a medical care system for critically ill patients, each medical facility must play a role according to its function.
Keywords: COVID-19; Japan; Omicron variant; hospital burden; pediatric.