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COVID-19 under 19: A Meta-analysis
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  • Nagham Toba,
  • Shreya Gupta,
  • Abdulrahman Ali,
  • Mariam ElSaban,
  • Amar HK,
  • Samuel Ho,
  • Rizwana Popatia
Nagham Toba
Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences College of Medicine

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Shreya Gupta
Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences
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Abdulrahman Ali
Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences
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Mariam ElSaban
Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences Hamdan Bin Mohammed College of Dental Medicine
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Amar HK
Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences
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Samuel Ho
Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences
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Rizwana Popatia
Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences
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Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global havoc with our limited understanding of the SARS-CoV-2, disease manifestations and management. Inadequacy of available data in pediatric patients coupled with evolving disease course makes it imperative to conduct a meta-analysis assessing the results of pediatric COVID-19 studies over the course of the pandemic. Methods: A random-effect meta-analysis was conducted using PRISMA guidelines. Two databases were screened for pediatric COVID-19 studies and selected articles reviewed for demographic, co-morbidities, clinical manifestations, laboratory and radiological evaluation, treatment and outcomes. Prevalence with mean and 95% confidence interval was calculated. Results: Out of 1703 articles, 37 articles comprising of 993 patients for a period of over six months and 72 variables were selected. This meta-analysis revealed that one-fourth of patients were asymptomatic (23.8%, 95% CI 17.6-31.2%) Fever (52.5%, 95% CI 45.7–59.1%) and cough (47.6%, 95% CI 41.2–54.0%) were the most common symptoms. The most frequently encountered white blood count abnormalities were neutropenia (16.6%, 95% CI 10.2-25.8%), lymphocytosis (15.3%, 95% CI 9.9–23.0%) and leukopenia (13.9%, 95% CI 10.1–18.8%). Ground glass opacities were the most common radiological finding of children with COVID-19 (35.9%, 95% CI 29.4-43%).  The hospitalization rate was 95.9% (95% CI 91.9-98.0%) of which 11.2% (95% CI 4.7-24.2) were ICU admissions, and 4.2% (95% CI 2.6-6.9%) died. Conclusion: Majority of pediatric patients are asymptomatic or have mild manifestations similar to other upper respiratory viruses. Serious disease and death occurred in 15.4%. More studies are needed from a wider geographic area as the pandemic continues.
18 Aug 2020Submitted to Pediatric Pulmonology
20 Aug 2020Submission Checks Completed
20 Aug 2020Assigned to Editor
17 Sep 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
01 Oct 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
02 Oct 2020Editorial Decision: Revise Major
20 Dec 20201st Revision Received
21 Dec 2020Submission Checks Completed
21 Dec 2020Assigned to Editor
21 Dec 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
23 Jan 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
24 Jan 2021Editorial Decision: Accept
25 Feb 2021Published in Pediatric Pulmonology. 10.1002/ppul.25312