COVID-19 and Pulmonary Hypertension in Children: What Do We Know So Far?

Abstract

The interplay between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) in children is unknown. Adults with PH are at potential risk for severe complications and high mortality due to associated comorbidities. It is difficult to extrapolate the outcomes of COVID-19 in adults to pediatric PH patients. Overall, a small number of COVID-19 cases is reported in patients with preexisting PH. Several factors may be responsible for the low incidence of COVID-19 in children with PH. Pulmonary hypertension is a rare disease, testing is not universal, and patients may have followed more rigorously the Center for Disease Control’s guidelines recommended for personal protection with mask-wearing, social distancing, and hand sanitization through ongoing health education. The small number of COVID-19 cases in patients with preexisting PH does not support that PH is protective for COVID-19. However, medications used to treat PH may have some protection against COVID-19. This review discusses the pathophysiology of PH occurring with COVID-19, differences between children and adults with COVID-19, strategies for management of preexisting PH in children during the ongoing pandemic, and its impact within the field of PH.