Hematological and biochemical abnormalities associated with severe forms of COVID-19: A retrospective single-center study from Morocco.

Since December 2019, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has catapulted the world into a marked health crisis, with over 29 million cases and >930,000 deaths. To better detect affected individuals at an early stage and stop disease progression to an advanced stage, several studies have been conducted to identify the clinical, biological, and radiological characteristics of COVID-19. This study aimed to enrich the literature by critically analyzing the clinical and biological characteristics of 134 patients from the North African Mediterranean region, including numerous genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors that may influence disease evolution. This single-center retrospective study included all patients older than 18 years confirmed to have COVID-19 and hospitalized at the Cheikh Khalifa University Hospital affiliated with Mohammed VI University of Health Sciences, Casablanca, Morocco. Clinical, demographic, and biological data were analyzed in a cohort of severe and non-severe patients. Univariate analysis was performed to identify factors predictive of severity. There were 134 patients: the median age was 53 years, and 54.5% were male. Of these, 89 had mild to moderate disease; 45 had severe to critical disease, of which 14 died and 31 survived. Advanced age, presence of comorbidities, male sex, and infection in ethnic or family groups were risk factors for progression to severe disease. The presence of abnormalities in the following parameters were strongly associated with progression to severe disease: white blood cells (WBC), neutrophils, lymphocytes, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin, D-dimers, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), ferritin, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), and alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) during both admission and hospitalization. Based on these results and an extensive literature review, we recommend that clinicians closely monitor the biological parameters identified herein and perform immunological and genetic studies.

The epidemiological and clinical profile of COVID-19 in children: Moroccan experience of the Cheikh Khalifa University Center.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a new coronavirus. The first cases were identified in Wuhan. It rapidly spread causing a pandemic worldwide. The incidence and severity of this disease are likely to be different in children compared with adults. Few publications of COVID-19 in children have been published. Our Moroccan paediatric series is among the first studies on this disease in Africa. METHODS: We included all children with COVID-19 who were admitted and treated at the hospital from March 25 to April 26, 2020. We have collected information, including demographic data, symptoms, imaging data, laboratory results, treatments and clinical progress from patients with COVID-19. RESULTS: Since the outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus infection (2019-nCoV) in Morocco, a total of 145 COVID-19 confirmed cases have been reported in the Cheikh Khalifa's Hospital. Among this cases, 15 children were registered. The median age of patients was 13 years. There were 7 boys and 8 girls. Five children are asymptomatic, 8 have mild symptoms and 2 have a moderate respiratory difficulty. The RT-PCR test results were positive in all patients. Radiologically, we found in 2 cases, multiple nodules with ground-glass opacities on the chest scan. The treatment was based on the combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin. Evolution under treatment was good for all patients. CONCLUSION: This study describes the profile of COVID-19 in child in a Moroccan hospital and confirms that the severity of illness in children with COVID-19 to be far less than adults.

The epidemiological and clinical profile of COVID-19 in children: Moroccan experience of the Cheikh Khalifa University Center

Introduction: COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a new coronavirus. The first cases were identified in Wuhan. It rapidly spread causing a pandemic worldwide. The incidence and severity of this disease are likely to be different in children compared with adults. Few publications of COVID-19 in children have been published. Our Moroccan paediatric series is among the first studies on this disease in Africa. Methods: we included all children with COVID-19 who were admitted and treated at the hospital from March 25 to April 26, 2020. We have collected information, including demographic data, symptoms, imaging data, laboratory results, treatments and clinical progress from patients with COVID-19. Results: since the outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus infection (2019-nCoV) in Morocco, a total of 145 COVID-19 confirmed cases have been reported in the Cheikh Khalifa's Hospital. Among this cases, 15 children were registered. The median age of patients was 13 years. There were 7 boys and 8 girls. Five children are asymptomatic, 8 have mild symptoms and 2 have a moderate respiratory difficulty. The RT-PCR test results were positive in all patients. Radiologically, we found in 2 cases, multiple nodules with ground-glass opacities on the chest scan. The treatment was based on the combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin. Evolution under treatment was good for all patients. Conclusion: this study describes the profile of COVID-19 in child in a Moroccan hospital and confirms that the severity of illness in children with COVID-19 to be far less than adults