AUTHOR=Garazzino Silvia , Lo Vecchio Andrea , Pierantoni Luca , Calò Carducci Francesca Ippolita , Marchetti Federico , Meini Antonella , Castagnola Elio , Vergine Gianluca , Donà Daniele , Bosis Samantha , Dodi Icilio , Venturini Elisabetta , Felici Enrico , Giacchero Roberta , Denina Marco , Pierri Luca , Nicolini Giangiacomo , Montagnani Carlotta , Krzysztofiak Andrzej , Bianchini Sonia , Marabotto Caterina , Tovo Pier-Angelo , Pruccoli Giulia , Lanari Marcello , Villani Alberto , Castelli Gattinara Guido , The Italian SITIP-SIP Pediatric Infection Study Group , Caldarelli Valeria , Salvini Filippo Maria , Corsello Giovanni , Del Barba Paolo , Berlese Paola , Agostoni Carlo , Ghizzi Chiara , Quadri Vera , Riscassi Sara , Rabbone Ivana , Calitri Carmelina , Abbagnato Luisa , Parola Luciana , Banderali Giuseppe , Pacati Ilaria , Cherubini Simonetta , Lippi Paola , Guala Andrea , Agostiniani Rino , Cazzato Salvatore , Kantar Ahmad , Baroero Luca , Rossi Nadia , Dalmazzo Cristina , Panigati Laura , Manzoni Paolo , Vigo Alessandro , Fiore Ludovica , Comberiati Pasquale , Battezzati Gianna , Verna Paola , Tornese Gianluca , Gianino Paola , Bertacca Luca , Vaccaro Angelina , Zavarise Giorgio , Marchione Luigi , Gallia Paola , Di Filippo Paola , Centenari Chiara , Iacono Alessandra , Plebani Alessandro , Ferretti Marta , Rizzi Sara , Rossin Sara , Marchisio Paola , De Fanti Alessandro , De Giacomo Costantino , Ferrante Giuliana , Barera Graziano , Roberta Pajno , Martelossi Stefano , Rocchi Alessia , Francavilla Rosa , Sogno Valin Paola , Poeta Marco , Valentini Piero , Papa Raffaele , Magistà Anna Maria , Badolato Raffaele , Saffioti Carolina , Greco Maria Cristina , Costenaro Paola , Di Pietro Maria , Esposito Susanna , Pieri Giovanni , Spartà Maria Valentina , Maffini Valentina , Cursi Laura , Nunziata Francesco , Mignone Federica , Bondone Claudia , Stera Giacomo , Marolda Agostina , Fiorica Lorenzo , Sabatini Caterina , Genovese Maria Rita , Ferrari Cristina , Galli Luisa
TITLE=Epidemiology, Clinical Features and Prognostic Factors of Pediatric SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Results From an Italian Multicenter Study
JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pediatrics
VOLUME=9
YEAR=2021
URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2021.649358
DOI=10.3389/fped.2021.649358
ISSN=2296-2360
ABSTRACT=Background: Many aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adolescents remain unclear and optimal treatment is debated. The objective of our study was to investigate epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic characteristics of pediatric SARS-CoV-2 infection, focusing on risk factors for complicated and critical disease.
Methods: The present multicenter Italian study was promoted by the Italian Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, involving both pediatric hospitals and general pediatricians/family doctors. All subjects under 18 years of age with documented SARS-CoV-2 infection and referred to the coordinating center were enrolled from March 2020.
Results: As of 15 September 2020, 759 children were enrolled (median age 7.2 years, IQR 1.4; 12.4). Among the 688 symptomatic children, fever was the most common symptom (81.9%). Barely 47% of children were hospitalized for COVID-19. Age was inversely related to hospital admission (p < 0.01) and linearly to length of stay (p = 0.014). One hundred forty-nine children (19.6%) developed complications. Comorbidities were risk factors for complications (p < 0.001). Viral coinfections, underlying clinical conditions, age 5–9 years and lymphopenia were statistically related to ICU admission (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: Complications of COVID-19 in children are related to comorbidities and increase with age. Viral co-infections are additional risk factors for disease progression and multisystem inflammatory syndrome temporarily related to COVID-19 (MIS-C) for ICU admission.