TITLE:
Comparison of the Clinical Profile and Severity Factors of COVID-19 during the First 4 Waves in a Paediatric Population of Yaounde
AUTHORS:
Jocelyn Tony Nengom, Suzanne Sap Ngo Um, Louis Serge Tang Nlend, Bonaventure Hollong, Jeannette Epée Ngoué, Paul Olivier Koki Ndombo
KEYWORDS:
COVID-19, Children, Waves, Clinical Profile, Severity, Cameroon
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.13 No.1,
January
20,
2023
ABSTRACT: Introduction: COVID-19 is an
infectious disease that has been causing a global pandemic since 2019. Although
clinical forms are generally less severe in children than in adults, children
nevertheless present polymorphous clinical forms and severe cases that can lead
to death. Objective: To describe the clinical presentations found in the
different waves of COVID-19, and to highlight the different factors of
severity. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study
with retrospective and prospective data collection which lasted 7 months (from
November 2021 to June 2022) and covered a study period from 6 March 2020 to 22 June 2022, i.e. 27 months. All patients aged 0 to 18 years, suspected of
having COVID-19, confirmed by real-time RT-PCR or an antigenic Rapid Diagnostic
Test or antibody were included. These patients were to be managed in the Mother
and Child Centre of the Chantal Biya Foundation, as well as in the Specialised
Centre for the Management of COVID patients, annex number II of the Yaoundé
Central Hospital. The results were analysed using IBM SPSS.23 software. Results: We included 163 patients in our study. No paediatric patients were
registered during the 3rd wave. The mean age of the patients in the study population was 13 ± 5
years with extremes from 15 days to 18 years. We had a female predominance with
a sex ratio of 0.83. The most common comorbidity was asthma. The first wave
presented mainly with respiratory symptoms such as dry cough and signs of
respiratory distress. The second wave presented mainly with digestive symptoms
such as diarrhoea, abdominal pain and vomiting. The fourth wave presented with
ENT signs such as sore throat, and rhinorrhea. Factors associated with severity
were mainly age less than five years (OR = 17.69), vomiting (OR = 6.50),
presence of comorbidities (OR = 3.39), and alteration of vital parameters such
as bradypnoea (OR = 19.68), bradycardia (OR = 6.34), tachycardia (OR = 3.73),
oxygen saturation Conclusion: Clinical
presentations varied between waves and the main risk factor was age under 5
years. The fourth wave was less severe than the second wave, which in turn was
less severe than the first. (4th nd st) which
allows us to humbly recommend more screening for patients under 18 years of age
with respiratory, ENT and digestive signs and special attention for those under
5 years of age.