Severe and deadly COVID-19 is rare in children

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is known to be particularly serious and even fatal for the elderly, people with underlying medical conditions, and people with weakened immune systems. Children and adolescents, if infected by coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), severe acute respiratory syndrome, are known to be mostly asymptomatic or develop only mild to moderate symptoms.

Now, a new study by researchers from the Universities of Edinburgh and Liverpool, Imperial College London and the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow in the UK, has shown that children and adolescents are less likely than adults to develop COVID -19 serious or die. of the illness.

The study, published in the British medical journal, aimed to characterize the clinical characteristics of children and youth admitted to the hospital with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. The researchers also wanted to explore factors related to intensive care admission, death, and the development of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and adolescents temporarily related to COVID-19, also called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

Although the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the number of children who become infected is constantly increasing, the new study reveals that they are less likely to develop severe symptoms.

Transmission electron micrograph of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles isolated from a patient. Image captured and enhanced in color at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) at Fort Detrick, Maryland. Credit: NIAID

The study

For the study, the researchers recruited 651 children and youth under the age of 19 who had been admitted to the hospital due to COVID-19. The researchers, who are part of ISARIC4C, a global group of physicians working to prevent death from respiratory diseases, covered 148 hospitals in Wales, England and Scotland.

The work was part of the ISARIC4c COVID-19 study that includes two-thirds of all people admitted to hospital with the disease from January to July, the time when the coronavirus pandemic is spreading across Europe.

The team found that a surprisingly low 1 percent of the 651 children and youth, or just six, had died in the hospital with COVID-19, compared to 27 percent in all other age groups. Additionally, the six children and adolescents who died had profound underlying medical conditions, which worsened their COVID-19 symptoms.

About 18 percent of hospitalized children and adolescents were admitted to intensive care. Health experts said that those who needed intensive care were those who were less than a month old and those who were between 10 and 14 years old. Like adults, those who are obese or of black ethnicity had a higher risk of severe symptoms.

The team also identified 52 patients who developed MIS-C, in whom children were more likely to be admitted to intensive care. Children with MIS-C had reported symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, conjunctivitis and rash. Additionally, the team noted additional COVID-19 symptoms in children with MIS-C, including sore throat, muscle aches, headaches, and tiredness.

“Children and youth have less severe acute COVID-19 than adults. A group of systemic mucocutaneous-enteric symptoms was also identified in acute cases that share characteristics with MIS-C. This study provides additional evidence to refine the WHO preliminary MIS-C case definition, ”the researchers concluded.

“Children who meet MIS-C criteria have different demographic and clinical characteristics depending on whether they have an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection (positive polymerase chain reaction) or post-acute (antibody positive),” they added.

What is MIS-C?

Multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a rare systemic inflammatory disease that affects children and adolescents due to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The disease has been described as similar to Kawasaki disease, which is a rare disease that affects children under 5 years of age. Common signs and symptoms of Kawasaki disease include a rash, swollen glands, red eyes, and red fingers and toes.

On the other hand, the symptoms of MIS-C include fever that lasts more than three days, a rash on the face, hands or feet, low blood pressure, gastrointestinal problems, such as abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, and heart problems, such as valvulitis, myocarditis and pericarditis.

“The diligent work of our colleagues working in Children’s Health and the NIHR Clinical Research Network in the UK has led to this report, which is the largest and most detailed description of COVID-19 and MIS-C in children and young people. “said Professor Calum Semple, professor of outbreak medicine and child health and consultant respiratory pediatrician at the University of Liverpool.

“We have provided new knowledge about MIS-C, which will help manage this rare but serious condition, but now parents can rest assured that severe COVID-19 is very rare in children,” he added.

Children and # COVID-19: an important and very reassuring prospective study * of 651 children admitted to 138 UK hospitals
“Serious illness was rare and death exceptionally rare”@bmj_latest https://t.co/Hw26YcW8x9
by @livvyswann and colleagues
Add information about symptoms and ethnic risk pic.twitter.com/eCKvlUfvlx

– Eric Topol (@EricTopol) August 27, 2020

Is @bmj_latest The report confirms that no “healthy” children have died from COVID in the UK. All six had conditions that limited their lives.

It says that severe coronavirus in children is ‘exceptionally rare’ and only occurs in young people who already have serious underlying conditions. https://t.co/fZlnldodqq

– Covid UK Data Verification (@fact_covid) August 28, 2020

Children can go back to school: parents feel reassured thanks to @CCPUKstudy @ ISARIC1 @NIHRcommunity @livvyswann @gail_carson @OutbreakJake @p_openshaw @kennethbaillie @ShamezLadhani #JVT @CMO_England @TurtleLance @DrLatifaPatel @ewenharrison @ abdocherty79 @PeterHorby @ wheezylikesund1 https://t.co/O92OxxTBUB

– Professor Calum Semple (@ProfCalumSemple) August 28, 2020