Table 1.
Characteristics of the patients during the two periods studied (Pre-pandemic and pandemic COVID-19)
| Total | Pre-pandemic | COVID-19 Pandemic | p value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 270 (%) | n = 253 (%) | n = 17 (%) | ||
| Age (months) | 2.4 [1.2–4.1] | 2.4 [1.3–4.1] | 1.9 [1–3.6] | 0.392 |
| Weight (kg) | 5.2 [4–6.3] | 5.2 [4.1–6.3] | 4.3 [3.4–6.7] | 0.187 |
| Sex (male) | 139 (51.5) | 129 (51) | 10 (58.8) | 0.531 |
| Birth weight (grams) | 3090 [2750–3475] | 3090 [2770–3495] | 2900 [2430–3402] | 0.182 |
| Gestational age (weeks) | 39 [37–40] | 39 [38–40] | 37 [36–39] | 0.046 |
| Prematurity | 35 (13) | 30 (11.9) | 5 (29.4) | 0.037 |
| Comorbid conditions | 17 (6.3) | 16 (6.3) | 1 (5.9) | 1 |
| Siblings | 190 (70.4) | 177 (70) | 13 (76.5) | 0.785 |
| Fever | 170 (63) | 159 (62.8) | 11 (64.7) | 0.878 |
| aClinical severity score | 0.237 | |||
| Mild | 52 (19.3) | 50 (19.8) | 2 (11.8) | |
| Moderate | 187 (69.3) | 176 (69.6) | 11 (64.7) | |
| Severe | 31 (11.5) | 27 (10.7) | 4 (23.5) | |
| Apnoea | 21 (7.8) | 19 (7.5) | 2 (11.8) | 0.63 |
| C-reactive protein (mg/L) | 12.9 [2.7–36.1] | 12.9 [2.7–32.2] | 12.9 [3.8–47.2] | 0.643 |
| Viral coinfection | 119 (44.1) | 114 (45.1) | 5 (29.4) | 0.208 |
| Coinfections | ||||
| RSV-Rhinovirus/enterovirus | 63 (23.3) | 60 (23.7) | 3 (17.6) | 0.77 |
| RSV-bCoronavirus | 29 (10.7) | 28 (11.1) | 1 (5.9) | 1 |
| RSV-Bocavirus | 26 (9.5) | 26 (10.3) | 0 | 0.386 |
| RSV-Parainfluenza 1-4 | 18 (6.7) | 18 (7.1) | 0 | 0.614 |
| RSV-Adenovirus | 9 (3.3) | 7 (2.8) | 2 (11.8) | 3.3 |
| RSV-cInfluenza | 7 (2.6) | 7 (2.8) | 0 | 1 |
| RSV-Metapneumovirus | 4 (1.5) | 4 (1.6) | 0 | 1 |
| RSV-SARS-CoV-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Respiratory support | 0.027 | |||
| None | 16 (5.9) | 16 (6.3) | 0 | |
| LFNC oxygen therapy | 107 (39.6) | 104 (41.1) | 3 (17.6) | |
| HFNC oxygen therapy | 68 (25.2) | 64 (25.3) | 4 (23.5) | |
| NIV | 76 (28.2) | 67 (26.5) | 9 (52.9) | |
| IMV | 3 (1.1) | 2 (0.8) | 1 (5.9) | |
| PICU admission | 90 (33.3) | 80 (31.6) | 10 (58.8) | 0.021 |
| Length of PICU stay | 4.3 [3–6.3] | 4.3 [2.9–5.8] | 5.6 [3–6.9] | 0.404 |
| Length of stay (days) | 7 [5–10] | 7 [5–10] | 8 [5–10] | 0.269 |
Categorical variables are expressed as numbers and percentage, and continuous variables as median and interquartile range [IQR]
LFNC Low-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy, HFNC High-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy, NIV Non-invasive ventilation, IMV Invasive mechanical ventilation, PICU Paediatric Intensive Care Unit
aClinical severity score: Bronchiolitis Score of Sant Joan de Deu (BROSJOD Score)
bHuman Coronavirus type 229E, HKU1, OC43 and NL63
CInfluenza A, A/H1, A/H1-2009, A/H3 and B