COVID-19 Pediatric Follow-Up: Respiratory Long COVID-Associated Comorbidities and Lung Ultrasound Alterations in a Cohort of Italian Children
Author:
Indolfi Cristiana1, Klain Angela1ORCID, Dinardo Giulio1ORCID, D’Addio Elisabetta1, Ferrara Serena1, Decimo Fabio1, Ciprandi Giorgio2ORCID, Tosca Maria Angela3, Miraglia del Giudice Michele1ORCID
Affiliation:
1. Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy 2. Department of Medicine, Allergy Clinic, Casa di Cura Villa Montallegro, 16145 Genoa, Italy 3. Pediatric Allergy Center, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy
Abstract
In children, the factors that influence COVID-19 disease and its medium- and long-term effects are little known. Our investigation sought to evaluate the presence of comorbidity factors associated with respiratory long COVID manifestations in children and to study ultrasound abnormalities following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Children, who arrived at the ‘Respiratory Diseases of Pediatric Interest Unit’ at the Department of Woman, Child, and General and Specialized Surgery of the University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, were selected during the timeframe from September 2021 to October 2022. The children were diagnosed with a SARS-CoV-2 infection that occurred at least one month before the visit. All patients followed a COVID-19 follow-up protocol, developed by the Italian Society of Pediatric Respiratory Diseases (SIMRI), which included: collection of data regarding SARS-CoV-2 illness and history of known respiratory and allergic diseases; physical examination; BMI assessment; baseline spirometry and after bronchodilation test; six-minute walking test; and lung ultrasound (LUS). In a cohort of 104 participants with respiratory long COVID symptoms (64.7% male, average age 8.92 years), 46.1% had fever with other symptoms, and 1% required hospitalization. BMI analysis showed 58.4% of the cohort was overweight. The LUS was positive in 27.0% of cases. A significant BMI association was observed with COVID-19 symptoms and LUS score (p-value < 0.05). No associations were found with asthma or atopy.
Subject
Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health
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