tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Paediatr Int Child Health
. 2020 Sep 7;1-10.
doi: 10.1080/20469047.2020.1804733. Online ahead of print.
Clinical and laboratory characteristics of SARS-CoV2-infected paediatric patients in Jordan: serial RT-PCR testing until discharge
Muna M Kilani[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Mohanad M Odeh[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Marwan Shalabi[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rami Al Qassieh[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Mohammad Al-Tamimi[SUP] 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Data on COVID-19 in children are limited. This study aimed to identify the clinical characteristics, laboratory results and longitudinal RT-PCR- testing pattern in children infected with theSARS-CoV2 virus and admitted to a hospital in Jordan.
Methods: The study is a retrospective chart review of patients admitted between 16 March and 23 April 2020. All infected children in Jordan were hospitalised. Serial RT-PCR testing was undertaken 7 days after the first test and then on alternate days until discharge. The association between patient symptoms and laboratory results and whether there was a statistically significant median difference in the number of days until negative RT-PCR results between patients was studied.
Results: Sixty-one patients with positive SARS-CoV2 swabs were admitted, 34 (55.7%) of whom were symptomatic. The most common symptom was nasal congestion (21/61, 34.3%), followed by generalised malaise and headache (12/6, 19.7%). A rash was detected in 5/61 (8.2%) of them. Fifty-five patients (90.1%) underwent investigations: 4 (7.4%) of them had lymphopenia, 4 (7.4%) had eosinopenia, 8 (14.5%) had eosinophilia, and platelets were elevated in 5 (9.1%) children. CRP was measured in 33/61 (54.1%) patients and all were normal. ESR levels were available for 11/61 (18%) patients and were elevated in 5 (45.5%). There was a statistically significant association between laboratory results and symptom expression (p = 0.011). The longest time until the first negative RT-PCR result was 39 days.
Conclusion: All children admitted who tested positive for SARS-CoV2 had mild symptoms and five had cutaneous manifestations. RT-PCR may remain positive for over one month.
Keywords: Jordan; Paediatric; coronavirus 19 diseases (COVID-19); coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2); severe acute respiratory syndrome.
. 2020 Sep 7;1-10.
doi: 10.1080/20469047.2020.1804733. Online ahead of print.
Clinical and laboratory characteristics of SARS-CoV2-infected paediatric patients in Jordan: serial RT-PCR testing until discharge
Muna M Kilani[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Mohanad M Odeh[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Marwan Shalabi[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rami Al Qassieh[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Mohammad Al-Tamimi[SUP] 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 32894032
- DOI: 10.1080/20469047.2020.1804733
Abstract
Background: Data on COVID-19 in children are limited. This study aimed to identify the clinical characteristics, laboratory results and longitudinal RT-PCR- testing pattern in children infected with theSARS-CoV2 virus and admitted to a hospital in Jordan.
Methods: The study is a retrospective chart review of patients admitted between 16 March and 23 April 2020. All infected children in Jordan were hospitalised. Serial RT-PCR testing was undertaken 7 days after the first test and then on alternate days until discharge. The association between patient symptoms and laboratory results and whether there was a statistically significant median difference in the number of days until negative RT-PCR results between patients was studied.
Results: Sixty-one patients with positive SARS-CoV2 swabs were admitted, 34 (55.7%) of whom were symptomatic. The most common symptom was nasal congestion (21/61, 34.3%), followed by generalised malaise and headache (12/6, 19.7%). A rash was detected in 5/61 (8.2%) of them. Fifty-five patients (90.1%) underwent investigations: 4 (7.4%) of them had lymphopenia, 4 (7.4%) had eosinopenia, 8 (14.5%) had eosinophilia, and platelets were elevated in 5 (9.1%) children. CRP was measured in 33/61 (54.1%) patients and all were normal. ESR levels were available for 11/61 (18%) patients and were elevated in 5 (45.5%). There was a statistically significant association between laboratory results and symptom expression (p = 0.011). The longest time until the first negative RT-PCR result was 39 days.
Conclusion: All children admitted who tested positive for SARS-CoV2 had mild symptoms and five had cutaneous manifestations. RT-PCR may remain positive for over one month.
Keywords: Jordan; Paediatric; coronavirus 19 diseases (COVID-19); coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2); severe acute respiratory syndrome.