Table 1.
General characteristics of hospitalized children depending on positive or negative RT-PCR results for SARS-CoV-2.
| Total (n = 192) |
Positive RT-PCR (n = 157) |
Negative RT-PCR (n = 35) |
p Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years | 1 (0.125–11) | 0.5 (0.125–10) | 7.5 (2–12.5) | 0.005 |
| ≤1 month | 34 (17.7) | 32 (20.4) | 2 (5.7) | 0.040 |
| <1 year | 94 (49) | 90 (57.3) | 4 (11.4) | ns |
| 1–5 years | 26 (13.5) | 15 (9.6) | 11 (31.4) | 0.002 |
| 6–10 years | 22 (11.5) | 16 (10.2) | 6 (17.1) | ns |
| 11–18 years | 50 (26) | 36 (22.9) | 14 (40) | 0.037 |
| Sex | ||||
| Male | 110 (57.3) | 94 (59.9) | 16 (45.7) | ns |
| Female | 82 (42.7) | 63 (40.1) | 19 (54.3) | |
| Underlying condition | 56 (29.2) | 44 (28) | 12 (34.3) | ns |
| Sickle cell disease | 16 (8.3) | 14 (8.9) | 2 (5.7) | ns |
| Asthma | 10 (5.2) | 7 (4.5) | 3 (8.6) | ns |
| Immunocompromised condition | 9 (4.7) | 4 (2.5) | 5 (14.3) | 0.016 |
| Preterm birth | 8 (4.2) | 7 (4.5) | 1 (2.9) | ns |
| Obesity | 5 (2.6) | 4 (2.5) | 1 (2.9) | ns |
| Others | 8 (4.2) | 8 (5.1) | 0 (0) | ns |
| NSAIDs | 3 (1.6) | 0(0) | 3 (8.6%) | 0.006 |
| Household exposure | 109 (56.8) | 86 (54.8) | 23 (65.7) | ns |
| Symptoms/signs | ||||
| Fever | 147 (76.6) | 116 (73.9) | 31 (88.6) | ns |
| Fever poorly tolerated | 29 (15.1) | 23 (14.6) | 6 (17.1) | ns |
| Rhinorrhoea | 66 (34.4) | 57 (36.3) | 9 (25.7) | ns |
| Deteriorated general condition | 63 (32.8) | 47 (29.9) | 16 (45.7) | ns |
| Respiratory distress | 48 (25) | 38 (24.2) | 10 (28.6) | ns |
| Diarrhoea | 32 (16.7) | 24 (15.3) | 8 (22.9) | ns |
| Vomiting | 19 (9.9) | 12 (7.6) | 7 (20) | ns |
| No feeding or feeding difficulty | 17 (8.9) | 16 (10.2) | 1 (2.9) | ns |
| Anosmia, dysgeusia | 10 (5.2) | 7 (4.5) | 3 (8.6) | ns |
| Chest pain | 5 (2.6) | 4 (2.5) | 1 (2.9) | ns |
| Length of hospital stays, days | 3 (2–4) | 3 (2–4) | 2 (2–5) | ns |
| PICU admission | 24 (12.5) | 16 (10.2) | 8 (22.9) | 0.050 |
| Length of stay in PICU, days | 6 (3–10) | 7 (3.25–13.75) | 5 (2.75–6.5) | ns |
| Respiratory support | 19 (9.9) | 14 (8.9) | 5 (14.3) | ns |
| High-flow ventilation | 3 (1.6) | 1 (0.6) | 2 (5.7) | ns |
| Non-invasive ventilation | 4 (2.1) | 4 (2.5) | 0 (0) | ns |
| Mechanical ventilation | 12 (6.3) | 9 (5.7) | 3 (8.6) | ns |
| Mortality | 3 (1.6) | 3 (1.9) | 0 (0) | ns |
Quantitative data are presented as median (Q1–Q3) and categorical data as number (%). NSAIDs: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; PICU: paediatric intensive care unit, ns: not significant.