Bain R, Cosgriff R, Zampoli M, Elbert A, Burgel PR, Carr SB, Castaños C, Colombo C, Corvol H, Faro A, Goss CH, Gutierrez H, Jung A, Kashirskaya N, Marshall BC, Melo J, Mondejar-Lopez P, de Monestrol I, Naehrlich L, Padoan R, Pastor-Vivero MD, Rizvi S, Salvatore M, Filho LVRFDS, Brownlee KG, Haq IJ, and Brodlie M
Background: The presence of co-morbidities, including underlying respiratory problems, has been identified as a risk factor for severe COVID-19 disease. Information on the clinical course of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) is limited, yet vital to provide accurate advice for children with CF, their families, caregivers and clinical teams., Methods: Cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children with CF aged less than 18 years were collated by the CF Registry Global Harmonization Group across 13 countries between 1 February and 7 August 2020., Results: Data on 105 children were collated and analysed. Median age of cases was ten years (interquartile range 6-15), 54% were male and median percentage predicted forced expiratory volume in one second was 94% (interquartile range 79-104). The majority (71%) of children were managed in the community during their COVID-19 illness. Out of 24 children admitted to hospital, six required supplementary oxygen and two non-invasive ventilation. Around half were prescribed antibiotics, five children received antiviral treatments, four azithromycin and one additional corticosteroids. Children that were hospitalised had lower lung function and reduced body mass index Z-scores. One child died six weeks after testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 following a deterioration that was not attributed to COVID-19 disease., Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 infection in children with CF is usually associated with a mild illness in those who do not have pre-existing severe lung disease., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None related to this work. P-RB: Not related to this work: reports personal fees from Astra-Zeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, GSK, Insmed, Novartis, Pfizer, grants and personal fees from Vertex, personal fees from Zambon SBC: Not related to this work: personal fees from Chiesi Pharmaceuticals, Zambon and Insmed and personal fees and non-financial support from Vertex Pharmaceuticals. CG: Not related to this work: reports grants from CF Foundation, European Commission, NIH, FDA; personal fees from Gilead Sciences (Chair of a Grant Review Committee), Novartis (DSMB Chair for a Clinical Trial); other fees Boehringer Ingelheim (serving as US lead in a phase 2 trial of novel therapy) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (honoraria for talk at UK LEAD conference). LN: Not related to this work: reports that he received institutional fees for site participation in clinical trials from Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Boehringer Ingelheim LVRFSF Not related to this work: reports grants and personal fees from Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Boehringer Ingelheim, grants from Timpel and Diagnostics of America (DASA), personal fees from Roche do Brasil, AbbVie, Sanofi and Glenmark. MB Not related to this work: investigator-led research grants from Pfizer and Roche Diagnostics; speaker fees paid to Newcastle University from Novartis, Roche Diagnostics and TEVA. Travel expenses to educational meetings Boehringer Ingelheim and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. RB, RC, MZ, CC, HC, AF, AJ, NK, BM, MDP-V, PM-L, KGB, IJH: none, (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)