Epidemiological, Clinical, and Laboratory Features of Children with SARS-CoV-2 in Ukraine

INTRODUCTION: In December 2019, the Chinese city of Wuhan reported the first cases of pneumonia from a new type of beta coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2. In the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak, paediatric patients were thought to be immune to the new virus; however, further studies have shown people of all ages to be susceptible to the virus. OBJECTIVE: Identify and describe the clinical and epidemiological features of COVID-19 among hospitalized children in Ukraine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective study of 171 children aged 2 months to 18 years who were hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS: Most patients in the study had a moderate progression of the disease (77.78%, or n=133), whereas a severe course was noted in 22.22% (n=38). Across age groups, children aged 6–12 was the predominant age group affected (35.67%, or n=61). The most common symptoms were fever in 88.2% of patients, sore throat in 69.2% and cough in 60.9%. Symptoms associated with dyspnoea and cyanosis were significantly more common in children with the severe course (p<0.05). Almost half of children had at least one comorbidity, the most prevalent being chronic tonsillitis (11.8% of patients) and anemia (6.5% of patients). A positive correlation (r=0.7 p<0.05) was found between CRP levels and COVID-19 severity. X-ray changes in the lungs were present in 76.61% of examined children and ground-glass opacity symptom was registered in 50.88%. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 among hospitalized children in Ukraine usually has a moderate course of illness and a good prognosis.