PECULIARITIES OF COVID-19 IN CHILDREN OF DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS

Abstract

Materials and methods: a pilot open observational prospective study of 218 pediatric patients with laboratory-verified COVID-19 diagnosis was performed. The main epidemiological data were analyzed, including the age structure, as well as the features of the clinical course of this disease. The development of COVID-19 pneumonia was recorded in 11,5% of cases (25 patients), while more often pneumonia was recorded in children of the first year of life, as well as over 12 years of age (23,5% and 20% of cases, respectively) than in children of other age groups (p<0,05). CT-1 stage was recorded in 13 patients (52% of cases), CT-2 stage in 10 patients (40% of cases), CT-3 stage in 2 patients (8% of cases). The leading clinical symptoms of COVID-19 in children were: hyperemia of the mucous membranes of the pharynx – 100% of cases (218 patients); increased body temperature – 95,9% of cases (209 patients), while the average figures were 37,6 (36,6; 38,2)0 С; cough – 19,7% of cases (43 patients, of which 21 with pneumonia); diarrhea – 17,9% of cases (39 patients); vomiting – 6,4% of cases (14 patients); change in the auscultatory picture – 3,7% of cases (8 patients with pneumonia). In infants with COVID-19, diarrhea was more often recorded in comparison with patients in the age group over 13 years old (35% and 4% of cases, respectively; p=0,001). The development of cough was less often recorded in children of the first year of life, in Compared with patients over 13 years of age (9% and 40% of cases, respectively; p=0,004), the same trend was observed in COVID-19 pneumonia (25% and 89% of cases, respectively, p=0,02). Thus, the clinical picture of COVID-19 in pediatric patients is characterized by non-specific symptoms. There is a definite trend towards more frequent development of COVID-19 pneumonia in patients in the first year of life, as well as in puberty. Infants with COVID-19 pneumonia are characterized by a high incidence of atypical course of the disease, while adolescents are more likely to show a manifest clinical picture of COVID-19.