The deadly impact of COVID-19 among children from Latin America: The case of Ecuador

Ortíz-Prado, Esteban; Izquierdo-Condoy, Juan S.; Fernández-Naranjo, Raúl; Vásconez, Eduardo; Rosero, María Gabriela Dávila; Revelo-Bastidas, Doménica; Herrería-Quiñonez, Diva; Rubio-Neira, Mario

doi:10.3389/fped.2023.1060311

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 42 publications

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“…In the same period, this study found that most deaths occurred in children aged 0 to 1 year, representing 44% (n = 114) of total deaths reported. of the total number of hospitalized under 19-year-olds [17].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hospitalization and Mortality in Children Due to COVID-19. A Single Center Retrospective Study from Brazil

Pereira de Godoy,

Bulgarelli Bestetti

2023

Preprint

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Background: COVID-19 is currently one of the most important medical challenges as it affects the entire population with children being infected as easily as adults. Objective: The study evaluated the mortality of under 17-year-olds and compare the frequency with that of adults in a cohort of 8986 COVID-19 positive patients hospitalized in a single care center. Design: retrospective clinical trial, all hospitalizations of COVID-19 positive patients as diagnosed by RT-qPCR were analyzed by revisiting their medical records. Setting: 8986 COVID-19 positive patients hospitalized in a Hospital de Base and the Infant and Maternal Hospital of São Jose do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil (HB/HCM) being these totals of 383 COVID-19 positive under 17-patients. Patients: patients COVID-19 positive under 17-year-olds were grouped by age and evaluated by analyzing their medical records. They were categorized as Group I, children, and adolescents under 19 years old and Group II, adults over 19 years. Results: Overall mortality in under 19-year-olds was 12 deaths, that is, 3.13% of the patients in this age group and 0.55% of the overall mortality from COVID-19. Mortality in the group of adults was 2197 equivalent to 24.45% of the hospitalized adults and 99.45% of overall deaths. Mortality was significantly higher for adults than for under 19-year olds (p-value < 0.0001). Regarding the different ages of children and adolescents, the number of deaths of under 1-year olds was 2/123 (1.62%), of 1-4 years it was 4/95 (2.11%), of 5-9 years it was 1/47 (2.13%), of 10-14 years it was 1/40 (2.5%) and of 15-19 years it was 4/78 (5.13%). There were no statistical differences between the different age groups ( p-value = 0.3). Conclusion: Mortality from COVID-19 in children and adolescents was lower than in adults and generally associated with other comorbidities with the main association being with heart disease.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hospitalization and Mortality in Children Due to COVID-19. A Single Center Retrospective Study from Brazil

Pereira de Godoy,

Bulgarelli Bestetti

2023

Preprint

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Impact of Variants, Epidemiological Trends, and Comorbidities on Hospitalization Rates of Unvaccinated Children in Brazil: A Retrospective Study (2020–2022)

Conte,

Watanabe,

Chaves

et al. 2024

Influenza Resp Viruses

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This retrospective study aimed to investigate the impact of the emergence of new variants and the epidemiological scenario on hospitalization rates of unvaccinated children (0–12 years) in Brazil. The study included 1614 children admitted to a hospital between March 2020 and December 2022 but 101 (6.3%) of them testing positive for COVID‐19 via RT‐PCR. The frequency of COVID‐19 cases increased from 7.5% in 2020 to 9.3% in 2022 with the emergence of the Omicron variant. Children over 5 years old with comorbidities accounted for most cases (69% [70/101]). Sickle cell anemia was the most frequent comorbidity (20%), and influenza‐like illness (36% [36/101]) and decompensation of underlying disease (33% [33/101]) were the main reasons for hospitalization. Coinfection was detected in 11% of cases, with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) being the most common viral pathogen (71%). Hospital readmission occurred in 26% of cases, with a higher frequency in children over 5 years old. The death rate was 1.9%, with comorbidities such as cystic fibrosis and congenital heart disease as risk factors. These findings emphasize the need to prioritize vaccination with monovalent Omicron XBB for high‐risk groups, including children over 5 years old with comorbidities, to mitigate the impact of new variants and reduce severe disease outcomes.

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Maternal mortality and COVID-19: A nationwide ecological analysis from Ecuador

Ortiz-Prado,

Izquierdo-Condoy,

Fernández-Naranjo

et al. 2024

Womens Health (Lond Engl)

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Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, distinct population subsets, including pregnant women, have been differentially affected. While over 90% of COVID-19-infected pregnant women experience a benign course, a subset demonstrates marked clinical exacerbation. Symptomatic pregnant individuals, in particular, present a heightened risk of severe disease in comparison to their non-pregnant counterparts. Objective: The objective of this study is to systematically evaluate the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in pregnant women, assess related maternal mortalities, ascertain the case fatality rate, and delineate associated risk factors. Design: This is a comprehensive population-based ecological study. Methodology: A population-based study was conducted to investigate the epidemiological patterns of COVID-19-associated morbidity and mortality in pregnant women in Ecuador from 27 February 2020 to 14 May 2021. Results: A total of 3274 positive COVID-19 cases were identified among pregnant women, with 22 official fatalities, yielding a case fatality rate of 0.67%. The majority of cases were of Mestizo ethnicity (92.66%); however, the highest case fatality rate was noted among indigenous pregnant women (case fatality rate = 1.25%), those aged between 40 and 44 years (case fatality rate = 2.68%), and those with a history of comorbidities (2.08%). Pregnant women residing at lower altitudes (<2500 m) exhibited a higher incidence rate (0.20/100,000) compared to those at higher altitudes (>2500 m), which stood at 0.17/100,000. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted pregnant women in Ecuador during the first 14 months, particularly those with comorbidities, older age, and of indigenous ethnicity. These factors have heightened their vulnerability and susceptibility to severe COVID-19 infection and subsequent mortality. This underscores the urgency for comprehensive protective measures, including prioritization for vaccination. Further studies are needed to inform tailored prevention strategies and therapeutic interventions for these high-risk groups.

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The deadly impact of COVID-19 among children from Latin America: The case of Ecuador

Cited by 5 publications

References 42 publications

Hospitalization and Mortality in Children Due to COVID-19. A Single Center Retrospective Study from Brazil

Hospitalization and Mortality in Children Due to COVID-19. A Single Center Retrospective Study from Brazil

Impact of Variants, Epidemiological Trends, and Comorbidities on Hospitalization Rates of Unvaccinated Children in Brazil: A Retrospective Study (2020–2022)

Maternal mortality and COVID-19: A nationwide ecological analysis from Ecuador

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