Do parents vaccinated against COVID-19 protect their children from hospitalization due to COVID-19?

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine whether parental vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevents hospitalization of COVID-19-infected children. METHODS: This study was based on data obtained from the records of pediatric patients that were followed up for virologically proven COVID-19 infection between August and October 2021, during which time the delta variant was dominant in Turkey and the children were isolating at home. RESULTS: There were 151 patients in the inpatient group and 218 in the outpatient group; the mean age was 172.5 and 145.5 months in the groups, respectively. The rates of obesity (22.5% and 6.4%, respectively, p < 0.001) and neurological-neurodevelopmental disorders (8.6% and 1.4%, respectively, p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the inpatient group than in the outpatient group. Of the outpatients' parents, 67.4% (n = 147) were fully vaccinated vs. 38.4% (n = 58) in the inpatient group. In all, 39.7% (n = 60) of the inpatients' parents were unvaccinated vs. 18.3% (n = 40) in the outpatient group. There was a significant correlation between the vaccination status and the patient groups (p < 0.001); it was determined that the COVID-19 infection would be mild in children if both parents were fully vaccinated. When both parents were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the hospitalization rate decreased and the outpatient follow-up rate increased. CONCLUSION: Having both parents fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can indirectly protect their subsequently infected children from hospitalization and the long-term effects of infection. Nonetheless, more comprehensive research on delta and non-delta variants is needed.

Evaluation of the Clinical and Laboratory Findings of Asthmatic Children with SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

INTRODUCTION: There are a limited number of studies about the clinical findings of coronavirus infection in pediatric patients with asthma. We aimed to evaluate the clinical and laboratory characteristics of pediatric patients with asthma and healthy children without chronic disease who infected with SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: This is a retrospective, case-control study comparing the asthma diagnosed and healthy children who were diagnosed as COVID-19 in our hospital between March 11 and November 10, 2020. RESULTS: During the study period, 6,205 children were diagnosed with CO-VID-19 in our hospital. Only 54 (0.87%) patients had a diagnosis of asthma. The mean of the age was 10.5 years and 53.7% (n:29) of the patients with asthma were male. Cough, shortness of breath, emesis, and diarrhea were found to be significantly higher in asthma group than in the control group (respectively p = 0.002, 0.000, 0.002, 0.019, 0.015). Patients who were given SABA was significantly higher in asthma diagnosed patients (p = 0.000). Hospitalization was significantly higher in asthma group (p = 0.025), and the duration of hospitalization was significantly higher in control group (p = 0.034). There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in terms of requiring oxygen treatment and in laboratory findings between groups. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that pediatric patients diagnosed with asthma were in a mild clinic. According to these findings, asthma may not affect the course of the COVID-19 in children.

Admission and follow-up cardiac magnetic resonance imaging findings in BNT162b2 Vaccine-Related myocarditis in adolescents.

BACKGROUND: There is limited data on the pattern and severity of myocardial injury in patients with COVID-19 vaccination associated myocarditis. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to define the myocardial damage occurring after BNT162b2 vaccination, raise awareness about adverse reactions developing after vaccination, and determine the patterns and scope of Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. PATIENTS/METHODS: A total of 9 patients diagnosed with vaccine-associated myopericarditis were followed up. RESULTS: The mean age of the patient at diagnosis was 15.3 ± 1.0 (range: 14-17) years, and all patients were male. Seven patients presented with myocarditis symptoms after their second vaccine dose, one patient presented with pericarditis symptoms after his first dose, and the other patient presented with myocarditis symptoms after his booster dose. The median time at presenting to the hospital was 3 (range: 2-22) days. Seven (77.7%) patients had abnormal electrocardiography (ECG) findings, and the most prevalent finding was diffuse ST-segment elevation. Initial cardiac MRI results were abnormal in all patients, where 8 (88.8%) patients had late gadolinium enhancement, and 5 (55.5%) had myocardial edoema. Three patients showed local left ventricular wall-motion abnormalities. In their follow-up MRIs 3-6 months later, myocardial edoema was present in 2 (28.5%) patients, while late gadolinium enhancement was present in all patients (7/7, 100%, 2 patients did not have control MRI time). Hypokinetic segments were still present in one of the 3 patients. No negative cardiac events were observed in the short-term follow-up of any patient. CONCLUSION: Further follow-up evaluation and larger multicenter studies are needed to determine the clinical significance of persistent cardiac MRI abnormalities.

Spontaneous remission of nephrotic syndrome associated with COVID-19 infection in an 8-year-old boy.

BACKGROUND: It is already known that viral infections, exclusively upper respiratory tract infections may trigger relapses of nephrotic syndrome. Recently, COVID-19 disease has also been reported to be related with relapse of nephrotic syndrome in a few pediatric cases Case. Here we present an 8-year-old boy who had relapse of nephrotic syndrome due to COVID-19 infection. He was asymptomatic except for mild edema. He was managed supportively, no medication was started and went into spontaneous remission in 7 days. CONCLUSIONS: Viral infections particularly upper respiratory tract infections may trigger relapse of nephrotic syndrome. COVID-19 has also been reported to be related with relapses of nephrotic syndrome in a few pediatric cases. Spontaneous remission in our patient indicates the importance of close monitoring of patients before starting long term treatment with steroids.