Features of the course of COVID-19 in children with the spread of the Omicron variant

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the symptoms and identify risk factors for prolonged and complicated COVID-19 during the spread of the Omicron variant in children aged 1 month to 18 years. Materials and methods. The study included 110 children with confirmed COVID-19 of mild or moderate severity at the time of the first examination. The average age of the patients was 6.86±5.09 years. The clinical symptoms, duration of each of the identified symptoms, and complications were evaluated. Acomparative analysis of possible risk factors for prolonged course and development of pneumonia was carried out. Results. The most common cases in children with COVID-19 were an increase in body temperature (in93%), runny nose (in65%), cough (in59%), hyperemia of the posterior pharyngeal wall (in95%) and tonsils (in93%), an increase in regional lymph nodes - in 43%. Among children with the duration of COVID-19 for 10 days or more, astatistically significant late request for medical help (onaverage, by 8.26±5.46 days, compared with 3.00 ± 1.32 days with the duration of the disease up to 10 days). Pneumonia is most often registered among preschool children. The average age in the group of children diagnosed with pneumonia is significantly less than in children who did not have signs of pneumonia of this complication (4.66 ±4.78 and 7.17±4.81, respectively). Conclusions: With the spread of the Omicron variant COVID-19 in children, infection with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is accompanied by symptoms of acute respiratory infection with an increase in body temperature, sore throat, hyperemia of the posterior wall of the pharynx and tonsils. Often there is an increase in regional lymph nodes, runny nose, cough, vomiting, less often - diarrhea. The prolonged course is facilitated by the late onset of adequate therapy. During the study, pneumonia was detected in 25% of children.