Open AccessEvaluation of Suspected COVID-19 Patients in a Pediatric Emergency Department
Author(s) -
Halise Akça,
Funda Kurt,
Ayla Akça Çağlar,
Ahmet Alptuğ Güngör,
Aylin Irmak Kuruç,
Esma Büsra Gacal,
Simge Gisi,
Saliha Kanık Yüksek,
Halil İbrahim Yakut,
Emine Dibek Mısırlıoğlu,
Emrah Şenel
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of pediatric intensive care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2146-4618
pISSN - 2146-4626
DOI - 10.1055/s-0041-1735493
Subject(s) - medicine , asymptomatic , covid-19 , white blood cell , emergency department , lymphocyte , gastroenterology , pediatrics , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , psychiatry
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is now a global pandemic. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of COVID-19 in pediatric patients and to compare the characteristics of positive and negative patients. This study conducted from March to May 2020 in a tertiary children's hospital. Patients were included if they were under 18 years old and a SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test had been performed. Of the 1,812 patients included in the study, 365 (20.1%) were positive for COVID-19. The median age was 102 months in the positive group, 70 months in the negative group ( p < 0.001). The sex distribution was almost equal. Nearly all positive patients had been in close contact with a COVID-19 infected family household member ( p < 0.001). The most common symptoms were fever (54.4%) and cough (38.6%). The asymptomatic patient rate was higher in the positive group ( p < 0.001). Lymphopenia (<1500/mm 3 ) was found in 29.9% of the positive children ( p = 0.005). When the groups were compared, white blood cell, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and platelet counts; neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; and C-reactive protein level were lower in the positive group. Chest radiography was performed in 95.3% of the positive patients, and the results of 29.7% of them were interpreted as pathological ( p < 0.001). Most of the pediatric patients had a history of contact with COVID-19 positive individuals, and therefore, the diagnosis is generally suspected from a history of household exposure to COVID-19. Lymphopenia can help predict positivity. Awareness, reinforcing infection control measures, and performing health management within families are important steps to manage these patients.