Comparison of clinical characteristics of COVID-19 between children and adult

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 infection in children and adult. This observational cross-sectional study was conducted in multiple corona dedicated hospitals, situated in Dhaka, Bangladesh from April 2020 to January 2021. Data of COVID -19 positive hospitalized patients were collected in a pre-tested question- naire during hospital stay with proper protective measures. Clinical characteristics of the COVID-19 positive hospitalized children and adult patients were evaluated. Approval was taken from institutional review board of respective institutes. Statistical analyses of the results were obtained by using SPSS-25. In this study the male-to-female ratio was 1:1.6 and 2.8:1 in child and adult patients respectively. More than three quarter (75.4%) of subjects had family members affected before the illness in the child group and more than half (50.9%) cases in the adult group. History of contact or exposure with any symptomatic case was present in 61.4% cases in the adult group but only 14% in the child group. The mean duration of illness was less (9.1}8.6 days) in the child group than in the adult group (14.8}9.5 days). The difference was statistically significant (p<0.05) between the two groups. The most common symptoms in the child group were fever (71.9%), cough (77.2%) and runny nose (52.6%) whereas in the adult group most common symptoms were fatigue, excessive tiredness, or lethargy (80.7%), cough (77.2%) and anosmia (70.3%). There were statistically significant (p<0.05) differences in symp- toms between the two groups. Raised body temperature was (>1010 F) was found in the majori- ty (86.0%) subjects' in the child group than in the adult group where it was 50.9%. The mean SPo2 without oxygen was 96.8}1.2% in the child group and 92.8}5.7% in the adult group. Ten (17.5%) subjects had a symptom-free total illness in the child group and 3(5.3%) in the adult group. The difference in temperature, SPo2 without oxygen, consciousness, and symptom-free total illness were statistically significant (p<0.05) between the two groups. In adult group 94.7% patient required hospital admission according to guideline, but in child group only 40.3% actually needed hospitalization, rest of the children got admitted along with family member or due to other diseases. Fever, cough and runny nose were more frequent symptoms in children however, fever, fatigue, excessive tiredness, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, anosmia, diarrhoea and body ache were more common in adult patients. These differences were statistically signifi- cant. In comparison to COVID-19 infected adult cases, infected children had higher oxygen saturation (without additional oxygen) by pulse oximeter.

BSMMU J 2022; 15(1): 35-42