OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical features of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children aged <18 years. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed from the medical data of 23 children, aged from 3 months to 17 years and 8 months, who were diagnosed with COVID-19 in Jiangxi, China from January 21 to February 29, 2020. RESULTS: Of the 23 children with COVID-19, 17 had family aggregation. Three children (13%) had asymptomatic infection, 6 (26%) had mild type, and 14 (61%) had common type. Among these 23 children, 16 (70%) had fever, 11 (48%) had cough, 8 (35%) had fever and cough, and 8 (35%) had wet rales in the lungs. The period from disease onset or the first nucleic acid-positive detection of SARS-CoV-2 to the virus nucleic acid negative conversion was 6-24 days (median 12 days). Of the 23 children, 3 had a reduction in total leukocyte count, 2 had a reduction in lymphocytes, 2 had an increase in C-reactive protein, and 2 had an increase in D-dimer. Abnormal pulmonary CT findings were observed in 12 children, among whom 9 had patchy ground-glass opacities in both lungs. All 23 children received antiviral therapy and were recovered. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 in children aged <18 years often occurs with family aggregation, with no specific clinical manifestation and laboratory examination results. Most of these children have mild symptoms and a good prognosis. Epidemiological history is of particular importance in the diagnosis of COVID-19 in children aged <18 years.
OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical features of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children aged <18 years. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed from the medical data of 23 children, aged from 3 months to 17 years and 8 months, who were diagnosed with COVID-19 in Jiangxi, China from January 21 to February 29, 2020. RESULTS: Of the 23 children with COVID-19, 17 had family aggregation. Three children (13%) had asymptomatic infection, 6 (26%) had mild type, and 14 (61%) had common type. Among these 23 children, 16 (70%) had fever, 11 (48%) had cough, 8 (35%) had fever and cough, and 8 (35%) had wet rales in the lungs. The period from disease onset or the first nucleic acid-positive detection of SARS-CoV-2 to the virus nucleic acid negative conversion was 6-24 days (median 12 days). Of the 23 children, 3 had a reduction in total leukocyte count, 2 had a reduction in lymphocytes, 2 had an increase in C-reactive protein, and 2 had an increase in D-dimer. Abnormal pulmonary CT findings were observed in 12 children, among whom 9 had patchy ground-glass opacities in both lungs. All 23 children received antiviral therapy and were recovered. CONCLUSIONS:COVID-19 in children aged <18 years often occurs with family aggregation, with no specific clinical manifestation and laboratory examination results. Most of these children have mild symptoms and a good prognosis. Epidemiological history is of particular importance in the diagnosis of COVID-19 in children aged <18 years.
Authors: Qun Li; Xuhua Guan; Peng Wu; Xiaoye Wang; Lei Zhou; Yeqing Tong; Ruiqi Ren; Kathy S M Leung; Eric H Y Lau; Jessica Y Wong; Xuesen Xing; Nijuan Xiang; Yang Wu; Chao Li; Qi Chen; Dan Li; Tian Liu; Jing Zhao; Man Liu; Wenxiao Tu; Chuding Chen; Lianmei Jin; Rui Yang; Qi Wang; Suhua Zhou; Rui Wang; Hui Liu; Yinbo Luo; Yuan Liu; Ge Shao; Huan Li; Zhongfa Tao; Yang Yang; Zhiqiang Deng; Boxi Liu; Zhitao Ma; Yanping Zhang; Guoqing Shi; Tommy T Y Lam; Joseph T Wu; George F Gao; Benjamin J Cowling; Bo Yang; Gabriel M Leung; Zijian Feng Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2020-01-29 Impact factor: 176.079