Outcome of Children Admitted With SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Experiences From a Pediatric Public Hospital.

Objective: To study clinical characteristics and outcome of children with admitted to a paediatric hospital in Mumbai, India.
Methods: Review of medical records of 969 children admitted between 19 March and 7 August, 2020, to assess the clinico-demographic characteristics, disease severity and factors predicting outcome in COVID-19 children. Variables were compared between children who were previously healthy (Group I) and those with co-morbidity (Group II).
Results: 123 (71 boys) children with median (IQR) age of 3 (0.7- 6) years were admitted, of which 47 (38%) had co-morbidities. 39 (32 %) children required intensive care and 14 (11.4%) died. Male sex, respiratory manifestation, oxygen saturation <94%; at admission, mechanical ventilation, inotrope, hospital stay of <10 days were independent predictors of mortality. Oxygen saturation <94% at admission (OR 35.9, 95% CI 1.5-856) and hospital stay <10 days (OR 9.1, 95% CI 1.04-99.1) were significant.
Conclusion: COVID-19 in children with co-morbidities causes severe disease. Association of mortality with oxygen saturation by pulse oximeter <94% on admission, and hospital stay <10 days, needs further evaluation.