TY - JOUR
T1 - Characteristics and risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 in children tested in the early phase of the pandemic: A cross-sectional study, Italy, 23 February to 24 May 2020
AU - Lazzerini, M.
AU - Sforzi, I.
AU - Trapani, S.
AU - Biban, P.
AU - Silvagni, D.
AU - Villa, G.
AU - Tibaldi, J.
AU - Bertacca, L.
AU - Felici, E.
AU - Perricone, G.
AU - Parrino, R.
AU - Gioè, C.
AU - Lega, S.
AU - Conte, M.
AU - Marchetti, F.
AU - Magista, A.
AU - Berlese, P.
AU - Martelossi, S.
AU - Vaienti, F.
AU - Valletta, E.
AU - Mauro, M.
AU - Dall'Amico, R.
AU - Fasoli, S.
AU - Gatto, A.
AU - Chiaretti, A.
AU - Dragovic, D.
AU - Pascolo, P.
AU - Pilotto, C.
AU - Liguoro, I.
AU - Miorin, E.
AU - Saretta, F.
AU - Trobia, G.L.
AU - Di Stefano, A.
AU - Orlandi, A.
AU - Cardinale, F.
AU - Lubrano, R.
AU - Testa, A.
AU - Binotti, M.
AU - Moressa, V.
AU - Barbi, E.
AU - Armocida, B.
AU - Mariani, I.
AU - Network, COVID-19 Italian Pediatric Study
N1 - Cited By :9
Export Date: 4 February 2022
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Background: Very few studies describe factors associated with COVID-19 diagnosis in children. Aim: We here describe characteristics and risk factors for COVID-19 diagnosis in children tested in 20 paediatric centres across Italy. Methods: We included cases aged 0-18 years tested between 23 February and 24 May 2020. Our primary analysis focused on children tested because of symptoms/signs suggestive of COVID-19. Results: Among 2,494 children tested, 2,148 (86.1%) had symptoms suggestive of COVID-19. Clinical presentation of confirmed COVID-19 cases included besides fever (82.4%) and respiratory signs or symptoms (60.4%) also gastrointestinal (18.2%), neurological (18.9%), cutaneous (3.8%) and other unspecific influenza-like presentations (17.8%). In multivariate analysis, factors significantly associated with SARSCoV-2 positivity were: exposure history (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 39.83; 95% confidence interval (CI): 17.52-90.55; p<0.0001), cardiac disease (AOR: 3.10; 95% CI: 1.19-5.02; p<0.0001), fever (AOR: 3.05%; 95% CI: 1.67-5.58; p=0.0003) and anosmia/ ageusia (AOR: 4.08; 95% CI: 1.69-9.84; p=0.002). Among 190 (7.6%) children positive for SARS-CoV-2, only four (2.1%) required respiratory support and two (1.1%) were admitted to intensive care; all recovered. Conclusion: Recommendations for SARS-CoV-2 testing in children should consider the evidence of broader clinical features. Exposure history, fever and anosmia/ ageusia are strong risk factors in children for positive SARS-CoV-2 testing, while other symptoms did not help discriminate positive from negative individuals. This study confirms that COVID-19 was a mild disease in the general paediatric population in Italy. Further studies are needed to understand risk, clinical spectrum and outcomes of COVID-19 in children with preexisting conditions.
AB - Background: Very few studies describe factors associated with COVID-19 diagnosis in children. Aim: We here describe characteristics and risk factors for COVID-19 diagnosis in children tested in 20 paediatric centres across Italy. Methods: We included cases aged 0-18 years tested between 23 February and 24 May 2020. Our primary analysis focused on children tested because of symptoms/signs suggestive of COVID-19. Results: Among 2,494 children tested, 2,148 (86.1%) had symptoms suggestive of COVID-19. Clinical presentation of confirmed COVID-19 cases included besides fever (82.4%) and respiratory signs or symptoms (60.4%) also gastrointestinal (18.2%), neurological (18.9%), cutaneous (3.8%) and other unspecific influenza-like presentations (17.8%). In multivariate analysis, factors significantly associated with SARSCoV-2 positivity were: exposure history (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 39.83; 95% confidence interval (CI): 17.52-90.55; p<0.0001), cardiac disease (AOR: 3.10; 95% CI: 1.19-5.02; p<0.0001), fever (AOR: 3.05%; 95% CI: 1.67-5.58; p=0.0003) and anosmia/ ageusia (AOR: 4.08; 95% CI: 1.69-9.84; p=0.002). Among 190 (7.6%) children positive for SARS-CoV-2, only four (2.1%) required respiratory support and two (1.1%) were admitted to intensive care; all recovered. Conclusion: Recommendations for SARS-CoV-2 testing in children should consider the evidence of broader clinical features. Exposure history, fever and anosmia/ ageusia are strong risk factors in children for positive SARS-CoV-2 testing, while other symptoms did not help discriminate positive from negative individuals. This study confirms that COVID-19 was a mild disease in the general paediatric population in Italy. Further studies are needed to understand risk, clinical spectrum and outcomes of COVID-19 in children with preexisting conditions.
U2 - 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.14.2001248
DO - 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.14.2001248
M3 - Article
SN - 1025-496X
VL - 26
SP - 1
EP - 12
JO - Eurosurveillance
JF - Eurosurveillance
IS - 14
ER -