Comparison of Clinical Findings in SARS-CoV-2 with Other Respiratory Viruses in Critically Ill Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

COVID-19 originated in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019 and has since spread around the world. During the key period of the pandemic from 1 March 2020, to 1 March 2021, the pediatric intensive care unit registered a total of 72 patients testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 and 130 patients positive for RVP on the respiratory virus panel. In this single-center study, we compared the clinical differences and course of the disease in pediatric intensive care patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 with patients diagnosed with respiratory tract viruses during the COVID-19 outbreak. Unlike previous studies, this is the first to compare the clinical manifestations of COVID-19 with other respiratory pathogens requiring intensive care. Respiratory support therapy, such as high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) and NIV, was prescribed more frequently in RVP patients than in COVID-19 patients. In our study, low oxygen saturation in the arterial blood (SaO2), increased OSI and increased fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) requirements were more significant in RVP patients than in COVID-19 patients. In parallel, the need for mechanical ventilation was higher in RVP patients than in COVID-19 patients. Therefore, we believe that RVP patients should be followed more carefully during this pandemic period.