Patients assisted at the Department of Medicine of a pediatric hospital at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Arch Argent Pediatr. 2020 Dec;118(6):418-426. doi: 10.5546/aap.2020.eng.423.
[Article in English, Spanish]

Abstract

Introduction: Despite the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic, the information about its development in pediatrics is still limited. This report describes the characteristics of patients admitted to a children's hospital due to COVID-19 during the first three months of the pandemic.

Method: Descriptive study including all patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 between 4/1/2020 and 6/30/2020.

Results: A total of 191 patients were hospitalized due to COVID-19; their median age was 7.7 years; 89% had a history of close contact. Of them, 35.6 % were considered asymptomatic; 61.2 %, mild cases; and 3.2 %, moderate cases (no severe cases). None of them received a specific treatment for the disease. The most common symptoms were fever, sore throat, and cough. The median length of stay was 6 days.

Conclusion: A total of 191 cases of children and adolescents admitted due to COVID-19 are reported. Most were asymptomatic or presented with a mild disease.

Introducción. A pesar de la magnitud de la pandemia por COVID-19, la información sobre su desarrollo en pediatría es aún limitada. Se describen las características de pacientes hospitalizados por COVID-19 en un hospital pediátrico durante los primeros tres meses de la pandemia. Método. Estudio descriptivo, que incluyó a todos los pacientes hospitalizados por COVID-19, desde el 1/4/2020 al 30/6/2020. Resultados. Se hospitalizaron 191 pacientes por COVID-19; la edad mediana fue 7,7 años; el 89 % presentaban antecedente de contacto. El 35,6 % se consideraron asintomáticos; el 61,2 %, leves, y el 3,2 %, moderados (no se observaron pacientes graves). Ninguno recibió tratamiento específico para la enfermedad. Los síntomas más frecuentes fueron fiebre, odinofagia y tos. La duración de la hospitalización tuvo una mediana de 6 días. Conclusión. Se reportaron 191 casos de niños y adolescentes hospitalizados por COVID-19. La mayoría fueron asintomáticos o presentaron enfermedad leve.

Keywords: COVID-19; coronavirus infections; pneumonia.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Argentina
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology
  • COVID-19 / therapy*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cough / epidemiology
  • Cough / virology
  • Female
  • Fever / epidemiology
  • Fever / virology
  • Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data*
  • Hospitals, Pediatric*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Length of Stay
  • Male
  • Pharyngitis / epidemiology
  • Pharyngitis / virology
  • Severity of Illness Index