Difference in Clinical Patterns between COVID-19 Affected Children and Adults

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Pediatrics
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) emerged as a global health crisis in December 2019.
• While all age groups are affected, initial observations suggested milder disease in children.
• Understanding clinical differences between pediatric and adult COVID-19 cases is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the clinical patterns and laboratory findings of COVID-19 in children and adults.
• To identify key differences in disease severity and symptom presentation between pediatric and adult populations.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional prospective study conducted at Kurmitola General Hospital, Dhaka, from April to September 2020.
• 150 COVID-19 positive patients (50 children aged 1-18 years, 100 adults >18 years) were enrolled.
• Clinical symptoms, laboratory results, and chest X-ray findings were analyzed and compared between the two groups.

Main Results:

• Fever and cough were common in both groups, but fever was significantly more prevalent in adults (81%) than children (36%).
• No severe or critical cases were observed in children; most presented with mild (68%) or moderate (24%) illness.
• Adults exhibited a higher incidence of moderate (72%), severe (14%), and critical (5%) cases, along with more frequent leukopenia, lymphopenia, elevated CRP, and ferritin levels. Pneumonia was also more common in adults (83%) than children (42%).

Conclusions:

• Coronavirus affects children, but their clinical presentation is generally milder than in adults.
• Significant differences exist in symptom prevalence, disease severity, laboratory findings, and radiographic evidence of pneumonia between pediatric and adult COVID-19 patients.
• These findings underscore the need for age-specific considerations in the diagnosis and management of COVID-19.