COVID-19 and asthma in paediatric age: Does the metabolic syndrome matters?

ABSTRACT

Background: Among the paediatric population there was no increase in asthma related morbidity with COVID-19. This study aimed to evaluate the pattern of the lung function tests after SARS CoV-2 infection. Method(s) Retrospective characterization of 79 paediatric patients with lung function tests performed after 6-8 weeks of SARS-CoV- 2 infection, between March 2020 and December 2021. Some endpoints were analysed like asthma as a comorbidity, lung function measurements, body mass index (BMI) and hospitalizations. Result(s) The mean age of this sample was 12.2 +/- 2.1 years old [4;17], 59% were male and 53% had asthma. The non asthmatic children were younger (10.1 +/- 1.8 years old). Body mass index (BMI) was calculated for all patients at the time of lung function test, 56% had a normal weight (n = 40), 37.9% were overweight (n = 30), and 11.3% (n = 9) were obese. More than a half of the non asthmatic group had a normal weight (58%, n = 24), 33% were overweight (n = 10) and 33% were obese (n = 3). In the asthma group, 40% (n = 16) had a normal weight, 67% were overweight or were obese (n = 20 and 6, respectively). None of the involved children had restrictive pattern post COVID-19, nor an obstruction, and as for diffusion tests, all the results were in between the limits of normality. Only one non asthmatic patient was hospitalised. Three asmathic patients reported post COVID-19 symptoms, like tiredness, hyposmia, and chest pain for a period of 6 month at least, as well four non asthmatic patients, with similar symptoms. Conclusion(s) Taking into account lung function tests performed after COVID-19 infection, there was no negative impact in asmathic/non asthmatic children outcomes. However there is a higher proportion of asmathic overweighted/obese children with COVID-19 infection, which reinforce that metabolic syndrome seems to play an important role on this disease.