No abstract

Background: Information on the impact of the different variants in children in Latin America is scarce. The objective of this study was to describe epidemiologic and clinical features of COVID-19 infection in children under 18 years of age in Argentina, comparing the periods before and after the circulation of new variants. Methods: Observational, cross-sectional, multicentric, analytical study. All patients under 18 years of age with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted at 22 healthcare centers were included. Two study periods were established: Period 1 (EW10-2020 to EW12-2021) for the Wuhan strain; Period 2 (EW13 to EW35 2021) for Alpha, Gamma, Delta and Lambda variants. Findings: A total of 6330 confirmed cases were included. Period 1: 3575 (56.5%), period 2: 2755 (43.5%). During period 2, a lower number of asymptomatic cases was observed, while general, respiratory and neurologic signs and symptoms increased in all age groups. Oxygen therapy requirement was higher during the first period (36.7% vs 19.1%; P < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in the rates of severe or critical cases (6.3% vs 5,4%; P = 0.102), intensive care admission (2.1% vs 2%; P < 0.656) or case fatality (0.3% vs 0.5 %; P < 0.229). MIS-C cases occurred more frequently during the first period (1.9% vs 1.1%; P = 0.009) Interpretation: The clinical spectrum of COVID-19 in Argentina has evolved. With the emergence of new variants, although the number of asymptomatic cases declined, numbers of severe and critical cases, as well as case fatality rates in children, remained unchanged.

Clinical-epidemiological characteristics and predictors of coronary complications in children of Argentina with Kawasaki disease Background: Kawasaki disease (EK) is an acute systemic vasculitis with a risk of developing coronary aneurysms. Aim: To describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of children with EK in Argentina and to analyse the risk factors for the development of coronary's complications (CC). Methods: Multicenter, retrospective, cross-sectional, observational and analytical study. It included patients younger than 18 years of age diagnosed with EK in hospitals in Argentina, between January the 1 st , 2010 and December the 31 th , 2013. Results: N = 193 subjects. Age: medium: 29 months. Total incidence 5 cases / 10,000 hospital discharges. CC was observed in 15.5% of patients. Increased risk factors for CC: Elevated number of days with fever at the time of treatment placement (p = 0.0033); Increased of: heart frequency (p = 0.0021), erythrosedimentation (ESR) (p = 0.005), C-reactive protein (CRP) (p < 0.0001), leukocytes (p = 0.0006), neutrophils (p = 0.0021); Decreased of hematocrit (p = 0.0007) and hemoglobin (p < 0.0001).Association with CC: non-coronary cardiological alterations (OR = 10,818); PCR greater than 68 mg /L (OR = 11,596); leukocytes greater than 20,000 / mm 3 (OR = 4.316); and ESR greater than 64 mm / 1 hour (OR = 4.267). Conclusion: The most frequent form of presentation was complete EK, the risk of CC was higher in males, younger than 5 years old, the risk factors (clinical and laboratory) were similar to those described in the literature.

Introduction. The current evidence indicates that the severity of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is lower in the pediatric population but local data are still limited. Objective: To characterize the clinical and epidemiological aspects of COVID-19 infection in patients younger than 18 years in Argentina. Population and methods. Cross-sectional, observational, and analytical study of confirmed COVID-19 patients aged 0-18 years seen between March 2020 and March 2021 at 19 referral children's hospitals of Argentina. A multivariate analysis was done to identify predictors of severe cases. Results. A total of 2690 COVID-19 cases were included: 77.7% lived in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires; 50.1% were males; patients' median age was 5.6 years. Of them, 90% were seen during epidemiological weeks 20-47 of 2020; 60.4% had a history of contact with COVID-19 patients; and 96.6% in their family setting. Also, 51.4% had respiratory symptoms; 61.6%, general symptoms; 18.8%, gastrointestinal symptoms; 17.1%, neurological symptoms; 7.2%, other symptoms; and 21.5% were asymptomatic. In addition, 59.4% of patients were hospitalized and 7.4% had a severe or critical course. A total of 57 patients developed multisystem inflammatory syndrome. A history of asthma, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, congenital heart disease, moderate to severe malnutrition, obesity, chronic neurological disease and/or age younger than 6 months were independent predictors of severity. Living in a vulnerable neighborhood was a protective factor. Conclusions. More than half of cases referred a history of contact with COVID-19 patients in the family setting. Hospitalization was not based on clinical criteria of severity. Severity was associated with the presence of certain comorbidities.

Introduction: Kawasaki disease (KD) is a vasculitis that affects vessels of small and medium caliber. Objectives: 1 Determine clinical and epidemiology of KD in children in 22 pediatric referral centers in Argentina. 2 Identify risk factors for coronary complications (CC). Material and Methods: A retrospective and analytical study from 01/01/2010 to 31/12/2013. Variables: age, sex, heart rate (HR), clinic features, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C reactive protein (CRP), leukocytes (Gb), neutrophils, hemoglobin (Hb) and CC. Color Doppler echocardiography: acute phase and 4-6 weeks. Results: Subjects: 191, age (Md) 29 months (R: 2-144) .Ratio v / m: 1.8 / 1. Clinical: fever 100% (191/191) more frequent and adenopatía: 57% (110/191) less frequent. CC: 15.7% (30/191). Mortality: 0.52% (1/191 cases). Increased risk of CC: leukocytosis> 20,000 / mm3 Odds ratio (OR) = 4.235 (95% CI 1704-10529). Hematocrit <30, OR = 6.042. (95% CI 2469-14782) p <0.0002; Hb <10 OR = 5.056 (95% CI 2163-11814) p 100 mm / 1h OR = 3.725 (95% CI 1642-8447) p 100 mg / dl OR = 6.417. (95% CI 2441-16869) p <0.0002 and other heart affections.OR = 7.964. (95% CI 2459-25794) p <0.0010. Children from the West of the country have 2.7 times greater risk of CC OR = 2.714 (95% CI: 1228-5997) p <0.019 compared to the rest. Conclusions: Increased frequency in males. Increased risk of CHD in subjects from western Argentina. Low mortality. Increased risk of CC: low hematocrit and hemoglobin; leukocytes, neutrophils, ESR, CRP, FC, high, Presence of other heart alterations and more days of fever at the time of establishing of treatment. Risk factors for coronary involvement