Risk Factors Associated with Pneumonia in Pediatric COVID-19 Patients

Abstract

Background: While the COVID-19 pandemic has been extensively studied in adults, there is a lack of data on the clinical characteristics and outcomes of the disease in pediatric populations, particularly regarding the development of pneumonia.

Objective: To determine the risk factors for developing pneumonia in children under 15 years of age who were infected with COVID-19.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted at Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital, Thailand, from April 1 to November 30, 2021. The study included children under 15 years old with RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infection. The patients were divided into two groups: 145 cases with radiologically confirmed pneumonia and 145 controls without pneumonia. We analyzed and compared patient

demographics, clinical symptoms, comorbidities, and RT-PCR cycle threshold (Ct) values between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the independent risk factors for pneumonia.

Results: A total of 290 pediatric patients were included in the analysis. The findings showed that an age of less than 3 years (OR 3.5; 95% CI 2.07–5.92) and the presence of fever (OR 4.23; 95% CI 2.33–7.86) were significant independent risk factors for the development of pneumonia. Other symptoms, including

diarrhea and rash, were also associated with an increased risk of pneumonia.

Conclusion: Children under the age of three and those who present with a fever are at a significantly higher risk of developing pneumonia when infected with COVID-19. These findings highlight the need for close monitoring of these high-risk pediatric patients to facilitate early intervention and improve clinical outcomes.