Clinical manifestations and general characteristics of pediatric patients with COVID-19: A single-center study in the Makkah region, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background and Aims: The clinical presentations of pediatric patients infected with COVID-19 vary from mild to acute. The most commonly reported signs and symptoms are fever, cough, headache, myalgia, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. While pediatric hospitalizations are lower than those for adult patients, there is still inadequate data related to the general features of pediatric patients with COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to identify clinical presentations, laboratory abnormalities, duration of hospitalizations, need for intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and incidence of death and possible risk factors of mortality in pediatric patients. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at the Maternity and Children’s Hospital in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, from March 2020 to December 2021. Pediatric patients under 18 years of age who had positive Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test results for COVID-19 were included. Clinical presentations, laboratory results, medications, and any radiological abnormalities were extracted from electronic medical records and a chart review. Results: A total of 95 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 were included in the study. Of the patients, 50 (52.6%) were male, 64 (67.4%) were Saudi, and 31 (32.6%) were non-Saudi. The patients’ mean (SD) age was 3.71 (3.69) years. Their mean temperature rose to 38.34°C (0.8OC)֯, and the mean duration of their fever was 2.97 (2.8) days. The most commonly observed manifestations were diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Of the patients, 24.2% needed ICU admission, 12.6% required mechanical ventilation, 9.5% were given vasoactive agents, 2.1% required dialysis for acute kidney injury (AKI), and 5.3% passed away. The incidence of death was significant in non-Saudi patients (P = .038). Conclusions: COVID-19 equally affected males and females. Most of the pediatric patients who died had co-morbidities. Fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain were the most prevalent symptoms.