COVID-19 in pediatric palliative care patients: Multicenter, retrospective cohort study.

Background: Studies have shown the risk factors for COVID-19 severity in children, including comorbidities, but information on the infection course in children with life-limiting conditions is sparse.
Aim: To describe the effect of COVID-19 on pediatric patients receiving palliative care due to life-limiting conditions.
Design: We conducted retrospective cohort study. The WHO Clinical Progression Scale was used to measure COVID-19 severity.
Setting/participants: Seven of the 24 invited pediatric palliative care centers participated in this study. We analyzed the medical records of children under palliative care with confirmed COVID-19 (January 2020-April 2022).
Results: Records of 60 patients with COVID-19 aged 0.24 to 21.6 years (mean (SD); 9.8 (6.6)) were collected. The largest group of patients with COVID-19 was children with congenital malformations and chromosomal abnormalities (42%); the most common manifestation was fever (85%). Bacterial coinfection was confirmed in 17 (28%) children. Fifteen (25%) children required hospitalization, including four admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Mild COVID-19 was identified in 44 (73%) children, moderate in 11 (18%), severe in 3 (5%), and death in 2 (3%). Six of the 20 eligible children were vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, followed by 16 mothers and fathers.
Conclusion: In the study population initial presentation of COVID-19 was predominantly a mild; however, the small sample size precluded definitive conclusions. For children under palliative care, we should identify if they have an advance care plan for COVID-19, such as desires for intensive care support. Further studies are needed to define the short and long-term effects of COVID-19 in children with life-limiting conditions.
Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Data sharingThe data and analytical materials related to this study were maintained and managed according to organizational guidelines and ethical regulations. This information will not be made publicly available in the interest of patient confidentiality and anonymity. Requests for further information were directed to the corresponding author.