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06:09

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Published on: February 14, 2019

Clinical characteristics and burden of COVID-19 in children and adolescents in Colombia: a retrospective database

Jair Arciniegas1, Juan Manuel Reyes2, Jhon Bolaños-López3

  • 1Pfizer Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia jairalberto.arciniegas@pfizer.com.

BMJ Paediatrics Open
|March 28, 2025
PubMed

Insights

COVID-19 infections in Colombian children and adolescents reveal that nearly one in five cases involved those with underlying health conditions. These findings highlight the importance of prioritizing children with comorbidities for targeted interventions and care.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • COVID-19 burden extensively studied globally, but data from emerging economies like Colombia, especially in pediatric populations, remain limited.
  • Understanding the specific impact of COVID-19 on children and adolescents in Colombia is crucial for public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the burden and outcomes of COVID-19 infections in children and adolescents (0-17 years) in Colombia.
  • To identify factors associated with severe or critical COVID-19 illness in this demographic.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of COVID-19 cases in individuals aged 0-17 years from March 2020 to January 2023.
  • Utilized a large health maintenance organization database covering 10% of Colombia's population.
  • Employed multivariate logistic regression to identify risk factors for severe/critical disease.

Main Results:

  • 76,376 COVID-19 cases analyzed; mean age 9.8 years, 51.5% male, 98.9% unvaccinated.
  • Most cases were mild (91%), with severe (8%) and critical (0.1%) forms observed.
  • Key comorbidities included mental health conditions (18.9%), chronic lung disease (13.6%), and immunocompromised status (10.6%).
  • 28 deaths occurred, with 22 having at least one comorbidity, primarily chronic lung disease and mental health conditions.

Conclusions:

  • A significant proportion (nearly 1 in 5) of pediatric COVID-19 cases in Colombia occurred in children with pre-existing medical conditions.
  • Findings emphasize the critical need for targeted public health interventions and clinical management for children with comorbidities to mitigate severe outcomes.
Abstract

Keywords:
Adolescent HealthCOVID-19Child HealthEpidemiologyLow and Middle Income Countries

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