Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics

The Korean Pediatric Society (대한소아청소년과학회)
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Comparison of clinical features and laboratory findings of coronavirus disease 2019 and influenza A and B infections in children: a single-center study

  • Siddiqui, Meraj (Department of Pediatrics, Baskent University) ;
  • Gultekingil, Ayse (Department of Pediatric Emergency, Baskent University) ;
  • Bakirci, Oguz (Department of Pediatrics, Baskent University) ;
  • Uslu, Nihal (Department of Radiodiagnostics, Baskent University) ;
  • Baskin, Esra (Department of Pediatric Nephrology and Rheumatology, Baskent University)
  • Received : 2021.01.19
  • Accepted : 2021.05.07
  • Published : 2021.07.15
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Abstract

Background: As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak continues to evolve, it is crucially important for pediatricians to be aware of the differences in demographic and clinical features between COVID-19 and influenza A and B infections. Purpose: This study analyzed and compared the clinical features and laboratory findings of COVID-19 and influenza A and B infections in children. Methods: This retrospective study evaluated the medical data of 206 pediatric COVID-19 and 411 pediatric seasonal influenza A or B patients. Results: COVID-19 patients were older than seasonal influenza patients (median [interquartile range], 7.75 [2-14] years vs. 4 [2-6] years). The frequency of fever and cough in COVID-19 patients was lower than that of seasonal influenza patients (80.6% vs. 94.4%, P<0.001 and 22.8 % vs. 71.5%, P<0.001, respectively). Ageusia (4.9%) and anosmia (3.4%) were present in only COVID-19 patients. Leukopenia, lymphopenia, and thrombocytopenia were encountered more frequently in influenza patients than in COVID-19 patients (22.1% vs. 8.5%, P=0.029; 17.6% vs. 5.6%, P=0.013; and 13.2% vs. 5.6%, P=0.048, respectively). Both groups showed significantly elevated monocyte levels in the complete blood count (70.4% vs. 69.9%, P=0.511). Major chest x-ray findings in COVID-19 patients included mild diffuse ground-glass opacity and right lower lobe infiltrates. There were no statistically significant intergroup differences in hospitalization or mortality rates; however, the intensive care unit admission rate was higher among COVID-19 patients (2.4% vs. 0.5%, P=0.045). Conclusion: In this study, pediatric COVID-19 patients showed a wide range of clinical presentations ranging from asymptomatic/mild to severe illness. We found no intergroup differences in hospitalization rates, oxygen requirements, or hospital length of stay; however, the intensive care unit admission rate was higher among COVID-19 patients.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

We sincerely thank two anonymous reviewers and associate editor of 'Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics' for their helpful comments on earlier drafts of the manuscript. We also acknowledge Duygu Ozbek Siddiqui for reviewing the paper before submission.

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