Comparison of the pediatric hospitalizations due to COVID-19 and H1N1pdm09 virus infections during the pandemic period.

There are two major pandemics in the new millennium, including the pandemic of swine influenza and the COVID-19 pandemic. These two pandemics affected children as well as the adult population. In this case-control study, we compared children with COVID-19 infection and those with H1N1pdm09 virus infection. We also compared the demographic factors, underlying disease, and the requirement for intensive care admission between the hospitalized children with COVID-19 infection and children with H1N1pdm09 virus infection who were hospitalized during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. In this study, we evaluated 103 patients with H1N1pdm09 virus infection and 392 patients with COVID-19 infection. The age was significantly higher in the COVID-19 patients' group compared to the pandemic influenza group (p < 0.001). The ratio of the children ≥12 years was 10.7% (n = 11) in the H1N1pdm09 virus infection and 36.2% (n = 142) in the COVID-19 group. The rate of underlying disease was significantly higher in the patients with H1N1pdm09 virus infections (p = 0.02). The prevalence of underlying disease in patients requiring PICU hospitalization was 69.2% (n = 9/13) compared to 25.7% (n = 124/482) in patients who did not require PICU hospitalization. The rate of underlying disease was significantly higher in the PICU group regardless of COVID-19 or H1N1pdm09 virus (p = 0.002). Our results suggest that older children were more hospitalized for COVID-19 infections compared to pandemic influenza. In addition, regardless of the type of pandemic infection, the underlying disease is an important factor for pediatric intensive care unit admission. This finding is important for developing strategies for the protection of children with the underlying disease in the upcoming pandemics.

Mucocutaneous Findings of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children: A Single-Center Experience.

This descriptive study aimed to evaluate the frequency and the types of mucocutaneous manifestations associated with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). A cohort of 49 patients was reviewed. There were 6 patients (12.2%) whose mucocutaneous findings were observed by the clinicians on admission, whereas 26 (53%) patients had at least one of the histories of rash or desquamation associated with fever before the admission. Exanthems in our experience demonstrated a variety of morphologies, including morbilliform, urticarial, petechial, and maculopapular forms. Mucosal involvement (conjunctivitis and strawberry tongue) was observed only in 2/6 (34%) patients. In the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic era, while evaluating the criteria for MIS-C, the history of previous cutaneous findings given by parents/caregivers is also important. There was no pathognomonic rash for MIS-C and a variety of cutaneous findings with a short lifespan can be associated with MIS-C.

A Comparative Study of Children with MIS-C between Admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Ward: A One-Year Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVES: This descriptive study aimed to compare the clinical and laboratory features of the children with the multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), requiring pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), admission with the MIS-C patients who did not require PICU admission. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was conducted between March 2020 and February 2021 at the University of Health Sciences Dr. Behçet Uz Children's Hospital, a referral center for pediatric infectious diseases in the Aegean Region of Turkey. All hospitalized patients aged 18 years old or less with MIS-C according to the definition of the universal guidelines were included in the study. Data of the patients with the diagnosis of MIS-C were recorded and collected from the electronic medical records of the hospital. The data included demographic characteristics, presenting signs and symptoms, laboratory findings and clinical data. RESULTS: A total of 58 patients with MIS-C were included in this study. Thirty-eight (65.5%) patients were male. The median age was 6 years (2 months-16 years). The patients admitted to PICU were 15 (25.9%). The rate of pulmonary involvement was 81.3% (n = 13) in the PICU group. The median procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, D-Dimer and ferritin values were significantly higher in the PICU group compared to non-PICU group (p < 0.001, p = 0.02, p < 0.001, p = 0.006 and p = 0.031). CONCLUSIONS: Besides the depressing cardiac functions reported before, the pulmonary involvement and signs of shock are important factors for PICU admission in children with MIS-C.

A retrospective comparative analysis of factors affecting the decision and outcome of initial intravenous immunoglobulin alone or intravenous immunoglobulin plus methylprednisolone use in children with the multisystem inflammatory syndrome.

BACKGROUND: For children with the multisystem inflammatory syndrome(MIS-C), intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) with or without methylprednisolone are the most effective treatment. In this study, IVIG combined with methylprednisolone was compared to IVIG used alone in children with MIS-C. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was carried out between April 1, 2020, and November 1, 2021. This study covered all children with MIS-C. According to whether they received IVIG alone or IVIG with methylprednisolone as an initial treatment for MIS-C, the patients were split into two groups. The IVIG dosage for the patients in group I was 2 gr/kg, whereas the IVIG dosage for the patients in group II was 2 gr/kg + 2 mg/kg/day of methylprednisolone. These two groups were contrasted in terms of the frequency of fever, length of hospital stay, and admission to the pediatric intensive care unit. RESULTS: The study comprised 91 patients who were diagnosed with MIS-C and were under the age of 18. 42 (46.2%) of these patients were in the IVIG alone group (group I), and 49 (53.8%) were in the IVIG + methylprednisolone group (group II). Patients in group II had a severe MIS-C ratio of 36.7%, which was substantially greater than the rate of severe MIS-C patients in group I (9.5%) (p 0.01). When compared to group I (9.5%), the rate of hypotension was considerably higher in group II (30.6%) (p = 0.014). Additionally, patients in group II had considerably higher mean serum levels of C-reactive protein. The incidence of fever recurrence was 26.5% in group II and 33.3% in group I, however the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The choice of treatment for patients with MIS-C should be based on an individual evaluation. In MIS-C children with hypotension and/or with an indication for a pediatric intensive care unit, a combination of IVIG and methylprednisolone may be administered. For the treatment modalities of children with MIS-C, however, randomized double-blind studies are necessary.

Evaluation of proximal tubule functions in children with COVID-19: a prospective analytical study.

BACKGROUND: There are limited numbers of studies focusing on renal effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and proximal tubular dysfunction in children with COVID-19 infections. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the functions of the proximal tubule in hospitalized children with confirmed acute COVID-19. METHODS: The children who were hospitalized for confirmed COVID-19 were included in this prospective descriptive analysis. The presence of at least two of the following four abnormalities was used to diagnose proximal tubule injury: abnormal tubular reabsorption of phosphate, normoglycemic glycosuria, hyperuricosuria, and proteinuria. RESULTS: A total of 115 patients were included in the study. About a third of the individuals had elevated blood creatinine levels or proteinuria. In addition, abnormal renal tubular phosphate loss measured by renal tubular phosphate loss was found in 10 (8.7%) patients, as was hyperuricosuria in 28.6%. As a result, total proximal tubular dysfunction was found in 24 (20.9%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: One in every five children with acute COVID-19 infections had proximal tubular dysfunction, according to our data. Although, the rate of proximal tubular dysfunction was lower than in adults, it should be noted. The recovery of proximal tubular function in children with COVID-19 should be followed.

Distribution of spreading viruses during COVID-19 pandemic: Effect of mitigation strategies.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to evaluate the distribution of circulating respiratory viral pathogens other than severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) during the first year of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with especially focusing on the effects of the national-based mitigation strategies. METHODS: This single-center study was conducted between March 11, 2020-March 11, 2021. All children who were tested by polymerase chain reaction on nasopharyngeal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 and other common respiratory viral pathogens were included in the study. RESULTS: A total of 995 children with suspected COVID-19 admitted to the study center. Of these, 513 patients who were tested by polymerase chain reaction for both SARS-CoV-2 and common respiratory viral pathogens were included in the final analysis. Two hundred ninety-five patients were (57.5%) male. The median age was 3 years of age (27 days-17 years). A total of 321 viral pathogens identified in 310 (n: 310/513, 60.4%) patients, and 11 of them (n: 11/310, 3.5%) had co-detection with more than 1 virus. The most common detected virus was rhinovirus (n: 156/513, 30.4%), and SARS-CoV-2 (n: 122/513, 23.8%) followed by respiratory syncytial virus (n: 18/513, 3.5%). The influenza virus was detected in 2 patients (0.4%). A total of 193 patients were negative for both SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens. CONCLUSIONS: There is a decline in the frequency of all viral pathogens like SARS-CoV-2 in correlation with the national-based mitigation strategies against COVID-19 during the pandemic.