SARS-COV-2 Infection in Children in Emergency Departments in Spain: A Multicenter Study

The first cases of infection by SARS-CoV-2 in the Spanish pediatric population were reported on early March 2020. Although most were mild or asymptomatic, new forms of clinical presentation and severity were reported with the evolution of the pandemic. We aimed to describe demographics, clinical features, and management of children with COVID-19 treated in Spanish emergency departments (EDs).

A multicenter registry including 15 pediatric EDs was carried out. Patients younger than 18 years with confirmed acute SARS-CoV2 infection diagnosed between March and August 2020 were included.

Three hundred ninety-five patients were analyzed (median age, 4.3 years). Fifty-five (13.9%) had comorbidities, and 141 (35.7%) a household contact with confirmed COVID-19. The most reported symptoms were fever (85.2%) and cough (41.7%). Fifty (12.5%) were asymptomatic. Seventeen (4.9%) were not well-appearing at presentation. Children underwent a blood test in 26.7% and a chest X-ray in 21.4%; findings were often unremarkable. Symptomatic treatment was prescribed to 80%; 6 (1.7%) received antiviral treatment. Seventy-one (20.6%) were hospitalized, and 3 (0.9%) were admitted to the intensive care unit; no patient died. The main clinical diagnoses were fever without a source (38%) and upper respiratory tract infection (32.2%); 4 (1.1%) presented a multisystem inflammatory syndrome.

Most pediatric COVID-19 cases in EDs during the first months of the pandemic were healthy, well-appearing children, presenting with fever +/- respiratory symptoms. In a significant number of cases, there was household transmission. Most children were managed as outpatients with symptomatic treatment, being exceptional the evolution to a serious illness.