Evidence-Based Prediction of COVID-19 Severity in Hospitalized Children.

Objective: In this study, by using clinical and paraclinical characteristics, we have aimed to predict the severity of the disease in hospitalized COVID-19 children. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted on medical records about epidemiologic data, underlying diseases, symptoms, and laboratory tests from March to October, 2020, on 238 hospitalized confirmed COVID-19 paediatric cases in several children's hospitals of Tehran, Ahwaz, Isfahan, and Bandar Abbas. Results: From 238 patients, 140 (59%) were male and most of them were in the age group of 1 to 5 years (34.6%). Among all hospitalized patients, 38% had an underlying disease and in total, 5% of cases were expired. Conclusion: Determining patient severity is essential for appropriate clinical decision making; our results showed that in hospitalized pediatric patients, by using several variables such as SGOT, CRP, ALC, LDH, WBC, O2sat, and ferritin, we can use clinical and paraclinical characteristics for predicting the severity of COVID-19.

Hematologic Evaluation of Children with COVID-19 Infection: Mortality Biomarkers.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we investigated the predictive value of routine coagulation parameters including D-dimer, Prothrombin Time (PT), International Normalized Ratio (INR), activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT) and Complete Blood Count (CBC) test parameters in children with COVID-19 infection. METHODS: Retrospective and observational study carried out in Abuzar Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences (Ahvaz, Iran) included COVID-19 patients. RESULTS: Deceased patients (n = 5) compared to alive patients (n = 76) showed higher RDW (p = 0.005), PT (p = 0.005), INR (p = 0.004), PTT (p = 0.009), platelet count (p < 0.001), PLR (p < 0.001), and hospitalization time (p < 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) of RDW was 0.85 (95% CI 0.75 - 0.96) which indicates its high power for mortality prediction in hospitalized children with COVID-19. We did not find significant differences in parameters in comparison between different severities. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, our study is one of the few studies to evaluate routine coagulation tests and the CBC test parameters predictive value in children with COVID-19. RDW has the most power to predict the mortality of children with COVID-19, followed by PT, INR, aPTT, platelet count, PLR, and hospitalization time have a high power to predict the risk of death in patients.

Association of vitamin D status with COVID-19 disease severity in pediatric patients: A retrospective observational study.

Background and Aims: Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased vulnerability to respiratory infections. This study aimed to determine the potential relationships between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity, serum vitamin D concentrations, and some inflammatory markers among pediatric COVID-19 patients in Iran. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted among hospitalized pediatric COVID-19 cases in Abuzar Hospital (Ahvaz, Iran) for 6 months. The COVID-19 diagnosis was based on the real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction technique. Demographic and clinical data of patients were recorded. Patients with serum vitamin D levels lower than 20 ng/ml were assigned as Group 1 and those with serum vitamin D concentrations equal to or more than 20 ng/ml were considered as Group 2. Results: A total of 144 patients were enrolled. Their mean age was 80 ± 49 months (range: 1-16 years). Patients in Group 1 had significantly lower levels of serum vitamin D, calcium, and lymphocytes, as well as higher fibrinogen, d-dimer, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels compared with those in Group 2 (p < 0.001). In addition, they had a significantly higher dry cough, fever, chest radiographic findings, respiratory rate, and longer hospital length of stay than patients in Group 2. Serum concentrations of vitamin D were positively correlated with levels of serum calcium, lymphocytes, and neutrophils but negatively correlated with CRP, fibrinogen, and d-dimer values. Furthermore, patients with moderate or severe courses of COVID-19 had significantly higher inflammatory markers (CRP, d-dimer, and fibrinogen), as well as lower levels of serum calcium, vitamin D, lymphocytes, and neutrophils than those with mild COVID-19 (p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, fibrinogen level on admission was detected as the independent predictor of severe COVD-19 (odds ratio = 1.06, 95% confidence interval: 1.03-1.09; p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study indicated associations between the severity of COVID-19, serum vitamin D concentrations, and some inflammatory markers in pediatric COVID-19 patients.

A multicenter retrospective study of clinical features, laboratory characteristics, and outcomes of 166 hospitalized children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): A preliminary report from Iranian Network for Research in Viral Diseases (INRVD).

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to analyze the clinical features and laboratory profiles and risk factors associated with critical illness of children with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). METHODS: One hundred and sixty-six coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Iranian pediatric patients were recruited through a collaborative research network between March and May 2020. Demographics, clinical, laboratory, and radiological results were obtained from patient files. RESULTS: Of 166 patients, 102 (61%) and 64 (39%) were males and females, respectively. Ninety-six (57.8%) and 70 (42.2%), had moderate and severe conditions, respectively. Thirty (18%) of patients died. The common symptoms were fever (73%), cough (54%), and shortness of breath, headache decrease in neutrophil and platelet counts; increase values in lactate dehydrogenase, decrease in the blood pH and HCO3 were significantly associated with the disease severity. 54% and 56% of patients showed abnormal radiographic appearance in Chest X-ray and in chest computed tomography scan, respectively. Sixty-one (36.7%) of patients were referred to intensive care unit (ICU). The coexistence of comorbidity was the main factor associated with ICU admission, shock, arrhythmia, acute kidney injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute cardiac injury, and death. CONCLUSIONS: We describe a higher than previously recognized rate of COVID-19 mortality in Iranian pediatric patients. Epidemiological factors, such as the relatively high case fatality rate in the country and the presence of underlying diseases were the main factors for the high death rate.

EFFICACY OF ENDOSCOPIC BALLOON DILATION IN IRANIAN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH ESOPHAGEAL STRICTURE.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal stenosis (ES) in children is a fixed intrinsic narrowing of the esophagus due to numerous aetiologies. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the clinical and nutritional impacts of endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) in Iranian children with an esophageal stricture. METHODS: This retrospective study, pediatric patients (aged <18 years) who underwent EBD for esophageal stricture from April 2015 until March 2020 in Abuzar Children's Hospital (Ahvaz, Iran) were enrolled in the study. Outcome parameters were the frequency of dilations, nutritional status, complications, and clinical success rates. EBD was used in children with radiologic evidence of esophageal stenosis. The nutritional status was evaluated by weight-for-age (z-score). Clinical success was considered as no necessity of EBD for a minimum of one year and/or increasing interval among dilation and the frequency of EBD was less than four times per year. RESULTS: A total of 53 cases (mean age, 4.72±3.38 years) were enrolled. There were 25 (47.2%) females and 28 (52.8%) males. During follow-up, a total of 331 EBD sessions were performed, with an average of 6.24 sessions per patient. There was one case of perforation and one case of mediastinitis, while there was no other complication or mortality. The clinical success rate of EBD therapy was 62.3% (33/53). The mean standard deviation z-score weight-for-age of patients before and after endoscopic dilation was 2.78 (2.41) and 1.18 (1.87), respectively. The t-test showed a significant difference between the weights-for-age (z-score) before and after endoscopic dilation. The majority of the patients had raised weight-for-age (z-score) after EBD treatment. CONCLUSION: EBD attained a good clinical success rate and nutritional improvement in children with an esophageal stricture.

Iranian Pediatric COVID-19 Epidemiology and Clinical Characteristics.

BACKGROUND: Despite the worldwide spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), information about the epidemiological and clinical patterns of this infection is still largely unknown in children. In addition, the prevalence of this disease is still very high in some parts of the world, including Iran. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the epidemiological features, laboratory and imaging findings, and the type of treatments in children with novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). METHOD: This study is conducted from March 2020-March 2021 by using the medical records of hospitalized confirmed COVID-19 children younger than 18 years in five cities of Iran: Tehran, Ahwaz, Isfahan, Bandar-Abbas, and Khorramabad. In addition to demographic and epidemiological data, we also studied clinical signs and treatments. RESULTS: In total 278 confirmed COVID-19 children, the average age was 5.3 years, and 59.4%were boys. A total of 37.8% had an underlying disease, in which the most common was a malignancy. The most common symptoms were fever and cough. In this group of pediatrics, some abnormal laboratory findings have been seen. GGO (Ground-Glass Opacity) had been diagnosed in 58.6% of children. 3.6% needed oxygen therapy with ventilators, and 83.09% had received antibiotic treatments with the majority of ceftriaxone. Also, 10% had got steroids. In this study, the mortality rate was 4.3%. CONCLUSION: In this study, most of the children who died had an underlying disease, so timely care and action is important in them. Most children admitted to our study received antibiotics and were prescribed antivirals and steroids for a smaller number. Also, a small number of children received oxygen therapy, most of whom were in the age group of 1 to 5 years.

Eficácia da dilatação do balão endoscópico em pacientes pediátricos iranianos com estenose esofágica / Efficacy of endoscopic balloon dilation in iranian pediatric patients with esophageal stricture

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Esophageal stenosis (ES) in children is a fixed intrinsic narrowing of the esophagus due to numerous aetiologies. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the clinical and nutritional impacts of endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) in Iranian children with an esophageal stricture. METHODS: This retrospective study, pediatric patients (aged <18 years) who underwent EBD for esophageal stricture from April 2015 until March 2020 in Abuzar Children's Hospital (Ahvaz, Iran) were enrolled in the study. Outcome parameters were the frequency of dilations, nutritional status, complications, and clinical success rates. EBD was used in children with radiologic evidence of esophageal stenosis. The nutritional status was evaluated by weight-for-age (z-score). Clinical success was considered as no necessity of EBD for a minimum of one year and/or increasing interval among dilation and the frequency of EBD was less than four times per year. RESULTS: A total of 53 cases (mean age, 4.72±3.38 years) were enrolled. There were 25 (47.2%) females and 28 (52.8%) males. During follow-up, a total of 331 EBD sessions were performed, with an average of 6.24 sessions per patient. There was one case of perforation and one case of mediastinitis, while there was no other complication or mortality. The clinical success rate of EBD therapy was 62.3% (33/53). The mean standard deviation z-score weight-for-age of patients before and after endoscopic dilation was 2.78 (2.41) and 1.18 (1.87), respectively. The t-test showed a significant difference between the weights-for-age (z-score) before and after endoscopic dilation. The majority of the patients had raised weight-for-age (z-score) after EBD treatment. CONCLUSION: EBD attained a good clinical success rate and nutritional improvement in children with an esophageal stricture.

RESUMO CONTEXTO: Estenose esofágica (EE) em crianças é um estreitamento intrínseco fixo do esôfago devido a inúmeras etiologias. OBJETIVO: Este estudo teve como objetivo determinar os impactos clínicos e nutricionais da dilatação do balão endoscópico (DBE) em crianças iranianas com restrição esofágica. MÉTODOS: Foram inscritos neste estudo retrospectivo, pacientes pediátricos (com idade <18 anos) submetidos a DBE para restrição esofágica de abril de 2015 a março de 2020 no Hospital Infantil de Abuzar (Ahvaz, Irã). Os parâmetros de desfecho foram a frequência de dilatações, o estado nutricional, complicações e taxas de sucesso clínico. A DBE foi usada em crianças com evidência radiológica de estenose esofágica. O estado nutricional foi avaliado pelo peso-por-idade (escore z). O sucesso clínico foi considerado como não necessidade de DBE por um período mínimo de um ano e/ou aumento de intervalo entre dilatações e frequência inferior a quatro vezes por ano. RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos 53 casos (média de idade, 4,72±3,38 anos). Eram 25 mulheres (47,2%) e 28 homens (52,8%). Durante o acompanhamento, foram realizadas 331 sessões de DBE, com média de 6,24 sessões por paciente. Houve um caso de perfuração e um caso de mediastinite, enquanto não houve outra complicação ou mortalidade. A taxa de sucesso clínico da terapia de DBE foi de 62,3% (33/53). A média (escore z) peso-para-idade dos pacientes antes e depois da dilatação endoscópica foi de 2,78 (2,41) e 1,18 (1,87), respectivamente. O teste t mostrou uma diferença significativa entre os pesos por idade (escore z) antes e depois da dilatação endoscópica. A maioria dos pacientes havia aumentado o peso por idade (escore z) após o tratamento com DBE. CONCLUSÃO: A DBE atingiu boa taxa de sucesso clínico e melhora nutricional em crianças com restrição esofágica.

Clinical and Epidemiological Determinants of Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients.

BACKGROUND: Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) is the main cause of pediatric mortality and morbidity in low- and middle-income countries. PURPOSE: This study was carried out to determine the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of children with LRTI. METHOD: A retrospective study was conducted on all pediatric patients who were hospitalized due to LRTI in Abuzar Hospital (Ahvaz, Iran) during one year. Incomplete medical records and children who were treated on an outpatient basis, as well as infants younger than 1 month of age, were excluded. The patients were evaluated in terms of epidemiological, clinical, and paraclinical characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 303 hospitalized children and infants were identified. Their mean age was 29.09 ± 38.96 months (range 1 month-15 years), and 59.4% of them were males. The highest frequency of patients was at the age below one year (50.8%, n = 154). Pneumonia and bronchitis were the most common LRTIs. Respiratory (54.6%) and neurological (21.6%) diseases were the most prevalent underlying medical conditions. Admission was more common in winter (n = 120, 39.6%) and spring (n = 79, 26.1%). The mean length of stay (LOS) in the hospital was 8.2 ± 5.5 days, and the overall mortality rate was 11.6%. In addition, 65 patients were severely underweight and 271 patients were malnourished. Moreover, there was a significant association between mortality and disease diagnosis (p < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a significant association between having an underlying disease and consanguineous parents (p < 0.01), as well as the frequency of hospitalization (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Additional studies are required to determine factors contributing to disease severity among children with LRTI to develop appropriate preventive and therapeutic strategies.