tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Pediatr Infect Dis J
. 2023 Mar 29.
doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000003918. Online ahead of print.
The Influence of SARS-CoV-2 Variants B.1.1.7 and B.1.617.2 on a Different Clinical Course and Severity of COVID-19 in Children Hospitalized in 2021 Compared With 2020
Maria Pokorska-Śpiewak[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ewa Talarek[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Małgorzata Pawłowska[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Anna Mania[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Barbara Hasiec[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Elżbieta Żwirek-Pytka[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Magdalena Stankiewicz[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Martyna Stani[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Paulina Frańczak-Chmura[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Leszek Szenborn[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Izabela Zaleska[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Joanna Chruszcz[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Ewa Majda-Stanisławska[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Urszula Dryja[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Kamila Gąsiorowska[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Magdalena Figlerowicz[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Katarzyna Mazur-Melewska[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Kamil Faltin[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Przemysław Ciechanowski[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Michał Peregrym[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Joanna Łasecka-Zadrożna[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Józef Rudnicki[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Barbara Szczepańska[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Ilona Pałyga-Bysiecka[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Ewelina Rogowska[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Dagmara Hudobska-Nawrot[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Katarzyna Domańska-Granek[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Adam Sybilski[SUP] 9 10 [/SUP], Izabela Kucharek[SUP] 8 10 [/SUP], Justyna Franczak[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Małgorzata Sobolewska-Pilarczyk[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ernest Kuchar[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Michał Wronowski[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Maria Paryż[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Bolesław Kalicki[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Kacper Toczyłowski[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Artur Sulik[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Sławomira Niedźwiecka[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Anna Gorczyca[SUP] 15 [/SUP], Magdalena Marczyńska[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to analyze the differences in the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children hospitalized in 2021, when the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 variants B.1.1.7 (alpha) and B.1.617.2 (delta) dominated, compared with 2020.
Methods: In this multicenter study based on the pediatric part of the national SARSTer register (SARSTer-PED), we included 2771 children (0-18 years) with COVID-19 diagnosed between March 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021, from 14 Polish inpatient centers. An electronic questionnaire, which addressed epidemiologic and clinical data, was used.
Results: Children hospitalized in 2021 were younger compared with those reported in 2020 (mean 4.1 vs. 6.8 years, P = 0.01). Underlying comorbidities were reported in 22% of the patients. The clinical course was usually mild (70%). A significant difference in the clinical course assessment between 2020 and 2021 was found, with more asymptomatic patients in 2020 and more severely ill children in 2021. In total, 5% of patients were severely or critically ill, including <3% of the participants in 2020 and 7% in 2021. The calculated mortality rate was 0.1% in general and 0.2% in 2021.
Conclusion: Infections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 variants alpha and delta lead to a more severe course of COVID-19 with more pronounced clinical presentation and higher fatality rates than infection with an original strain. Most of the children requiring hospitalization due to COVID-19 do not have underlying comorbidities.
. 2023 Mar 29.
doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000003918. Online ahead of print.
The Influence of SARS-CoV-2 Variants B.1.1.7 and B.1.617.2 on a Different Clinical Course and Severity of COVID-19 in Children Hospitalized in 2021 Compared With 2020
Maria Pokorska-Śpiewak[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ewa Talarek[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Małgorzata Pawłowska[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Anna Mania[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Barbara Hasiec[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Elżbieta Żwirek-Pytka[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Magdalena Stankiewicz[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Martyna Stani[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Paulina Frańczak-Chmura[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Leszek Szenborn[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Izabela Zaleska[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Joanna Chruszcz[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Ewa Majda-Stanisławska[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Urszula Dryja[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Kamila Gąsiorowska[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Magdalena Figlerowicz[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Katarzyna Mazur-Melewska[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Kamil Faltin[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Przemysław Ciechanowski[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Michał Peregrym[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Joanna Łasecka-Zadrożna[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Józef Rudnicki[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Barbara Szczepańska[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Ilona Pałyga-Bysiecka[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Ewelina Rogowska[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Dagmara Hudobska-Nawrot[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Katarzyna Domańska-Granek[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Adam Sybilski[SUP] 9 10 [/SUP], Izabela Kucharek[SUP] 8 10 [/SUP], Justyna Franczak[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Małgorzata Sobolewska-Pilarczyk[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ernest Kuchar[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Michał Wronowski[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Maria Paryż[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Bolesław Kalicki[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Kacper Toczyłowski[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Artur Sulik[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Sławomira Niedźwiecka[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Anna Gorczyca[SUP] 15 [/SUP], Magdalena Marczyńska[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 37053572
- DOI: 10.1097/INF.0000000000003918
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to analyze the differences in the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children hospitalized in 2021, when the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 variants B.1.1.7 (alpha) and B.1.617.2 (delta) dominated, compared with 2020.
Methods: In this multicenter study based on the pediatric part of the national SARSTer register (SARSTer-PED), we included 2771 children (0-18 years) with COVID-19 diagnosed between March 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021, from 14 Polish inpatient centers. An electronic questionnaire, which addressed epidemiologic and clinical data, was used.
Results: Children hospitalized in 2021 were younger compared with those reported in 2020 (mean 4.1 vs. 6.8 years, P = 0.01). Underlying comorbidities were reported in 22% of the patients. The clinical course was usually mild (70%). A significant difference in the clinical course assessment between 2020 and 2021 was found, with more asymptomatic patients in 2020 and more severely ill children in 2021. In total, 5% of patients were severely or critically ill, including <3% of the participants in 2020 and 7% in 2021. The calculated mortality rate was 0.1% in general and 0.2% in 2021.
Conclusion: Infections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 variants alpha and delta lead to a more severe course of COVID-19 with more pronounced clinical presentation and higher fatality rates than infection with an original strain. Most of the children requiring hospitalization due to COVID-19 do not have underlying comorbidities.