Table 2. Clinical presentation and outcomes of children tested for SARS-CoV-2 because of symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, Italy, 23 February–24 May 2020 (n = 2,148).
| Clinical presentation and outcomes | Positive swab n = 159 |
Negative swab n = 1,989 |
p value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | % | n | % | ||
| Disease severity at presentation | |||||
| Asymptomatic | 8 | 5.0 | 125 | 6.3 | 0.528 |
| Mild | 124 | 78.0 | 1,408 | 70.8 | 0.053 |
| Moderate | 20 | 12.6 | 304 | 15.3 | 0.359 |
| Severe | 5 | 3.1 | 133 | 6.7 | 0.091 |
| Critical | 2 | 1.3 | 19 | 1.0 | 0.665 |
| Symptoms and signs at presentation | |||||
| Fever | 131 | 82.4 | 1,355 | 68.1 | < 0.001 |
| Respiratory symptoms, any | 96 | 60.4 | 1,325 | 66.6 | 0.110 |
| Respiratory distress | 12 | 7.5 | 255 | 12.8 | 0.052 |
| Rhinorrhoea | 32 | 20.1 | 372 | 18.7 | 0.659 |
| Dry cough | 51 | 32.1 | 452 | 22.7 | 0.007 |
| Productive cough | 7 | 4.4 | 185 | 9.3 | 0.037 |
| Sore throat | 36 | 22.6 | 881 | 44.3 | < 0.001 |
| Pharyngitis | 2 | 1.3 | 106 | 5.3 | 0.024 |
| Conjunctivitis | 8 | 5.0 | 60 | 3.0 | 0.163 |
| Apnoea | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.2 | 1.000 |
| Thoracic pain | 6 | 3.8 | 44 | 2.2 | 0.209 |
| Gastrointestinal symptoms, any | 29 | 18.2 | 574 | 28.9 | 0.004 |
| Vomiting | 16 | 10.1 | 365 | 18.3 | 0.009 |
| Diarrhoea | 18 | 11.3 | 293 | 14.7 | 0.240 |
| Neurological symptoms, any | 30 | 18.9 | 175 | 8.8 | < 0.001 |
| Asthenia | 10 | 6.3 | 38 | 1.9 | < 0.001 |
| Headache | 13 | 8.2 | 79 | 4.0 | 0.012 |
| Anosmia/ageusia | 13 | 8.2 | 10 | 0.5 | < 0.001 |
| Convulsion | 2 | 1.3 | 49 | 2.5 | 0.583 |
| Hyperactivity | 1 | 0.6 | 12 | 0.6 | 1.000 |
| Cutaneous presentations, any | 6 | 3.8 | 159 | 8.0 | 0.054 |
| Skin manifestations | 6 | 3.8 | 158 | 7.9 | 0.057 |
| Vasculitis | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0.6 | 1.000 |
| Unspecific influenza-like presentations, any | 27 | 17.0 | 303 | 15.2 | 0.557 |
| Muscle or joint pains | 18 | 11.3 | 71 | 3.6 | < 0.001 |
| Nausea | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0.7 | 0.616 |
| Inappetence | 15 | 9.4 | 237 | 11.9 | 0.349 |
| Lymphadenitis | 8 | 5.0 | 158 | 7.9 | 0.186 |
| Other symptoms, any | 23 | 14.5 | 528 | 26.6 | 0.001 |
| Abdominal pains | 11 | 6.9 | 269 | 13.5 | 0.017 |
| Oral manifestations (gingivostomatitis, aphthae) | 2 | 1.3 | 54 | 2.7 | 0.433 |
| Dental problems | 1 | 0.6 | 6 | 0.3 | 0.417 |
| Urogenital disorders | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0.5 | 1.000 |
| Ear problems | 0 | 0 | 32 | 1.6 | 0.166 |
| Others | 3 | 1.9 | 41 | 2.1 | 1.000 |
| Vital parameters at presentation | |||||
| Tachycardia | 12/61 | 19.7 | 294/1,489 | 19.7 | 0.989 |
| Tachypnoea | 4/34 | 11.8 | 187/827 | 22.6 | 0.204 |
| Oxygen saturation level at presentation | |||||
| 91–92% | 2/66 | 3.0 | 15/1,575 | 1.0 | 0.147 |
| ≤ 90% | 1/66 | 1.5 | 21/1,575 | 1.3 | 0.597 |
| Clinical examination at presentation | |||||
| Lung auscultation | |||||
| Negative | 69/86 | 80.2 | 1,486/1,826 | 81.3 | 0.810 |
| Crackles | 4/86 | 4.7 | 186/1,826 | 10.2 | 0.099 |
| Wheezing | 3/86 | 3.5 | 120/1,826 | 5.6 | 0.366 |
| Absent breath sounds | 4/86 | 4.7 | 111/1,826 | 6.1 | 0.816 |
| Laboratory testa | |||||
| White blood cell count < 5.5 (× 109/L) | 17/50 | 34.0 | 109/809 | 13.5 | < 0.001 |
| Lymphocyte count < 1.2 (× 109/L) | 8/41 | 19.5 | 75/559 | 13.4 | 0.275 |
| Neutrophil < 1.50 (× 109/L) | 6/47 | 12.8 | 50/743 | 6.7 | 0.118 |
| C-reactive protein > 1 gr/dL | 29/50 | 58.0 | 589/760 | 77.5 | 0.002 |
| Erythrocyte sedimentation rate > 20 mm/h | 2/4 | 50.0 | 34/64 | 53.1 | 1.000 |
| Aspartate aminotransferase > 50 (U/L) | 7/35 | 20.0 | 56/434 | 12.9 | 0.234 |
| Alanine aminotransferase > 45 (U/L) | 4/46 | 8.7 | 74/692 | 10.7 | 0.808 |
| D dimer > 0.5 (μg/mL) | 2/4 | 50.0 | 24/46 | 52.2 | 1.000 |
| Chest X-ray | 27 | 17.0 | 313 | 15.7 | 0.679 |
| Negative | 8/27 | 29.6 | 106/313 | 33.9 | 0.655 |
| Ground glass opacities | 7/27 | 25.9 | 71/313 | 22.7 | 0.701 |
| Focal consolidation | 3/27 | 11.1 | 77/313 | 24.6 | 0.155 |
| Other description | 9/27 | 33.3 | 59/313 | 18.8 | 0.071 |
| Lung ultrasound | 5 | 3.1 | 58 | 2.9 | 0.806 |
| Negative | 1/5 | 20.0 | 18/58 | 31.0 | 1.000 |
| B-lines in various pattern | 2/5 | 40.0 | 30/58 | 51.7 | 0.672 |
| Focal consolidation | 0 | 0 | 5/58 | 8.6 | 1.000 |
| Other description | 1/5 | 20.0 | 1/58 | 1.7 | 0.154 |
| Lung CT scan | 5 | 3.1 | 13 | 0.7 | 0.008 |
| Negative | 0/5 | 0 | 2/13 | 15.4 | 1.000 |
| Ground glass opacities | 3/5 | 60.0 | 6/13 | 46.2 | 1.000 |
| Focal consolidation | 1/5 | 20.0 | 3/13 | 23.1 | 1.000 |
| Other description | 0/5 | 0 | 2/13 | 15.4 | 1.000 |
| Hospitalised | 45 | 28.3 | 602 | 30.3 | 0.603 |
| Respiratory supporta | 4 | 2.5 | 73 | 3.7 | 0.656 |
| Oxygen | 3/45 | 6.7 | 54/602 | 9.0 | 0.788 |
| High flow oxygen | 2/45 | 4.4 | 19/602 | 3.2 | 0.651 |
| Non-invasive ventilation | 1/45 | 2.2 | 4/602 | 0.7 | 0.303 |
| Mechanical ventilation | 0/45 | 0 | 11/602 | 1.8 | 1.000 |
| Cases in ICU | 2 | 1.3 | 11 | 0.6 | 0.250 |
| Outcome | |||||
| Cured | 159 | 100 | 1,981 | 99.6 | 0.500 |
| Referred | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.4 | 0.460 |
| Died | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.1 | 1.000 |
COVID-19: coronavirus disease; ICU: intensive care unit; SARS-CoV-2: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.
a Available in a subsample of cases.