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16-11-2023 | COVID-19 | RESEARCH

COVID-19 in hospitalized infants aged under 3 months: multi-center experiences across Turkey

Authors: Gülnihan Üstündağ, Eda Karadag-Oncel, Nursel Kara-Ulu, Meltem Polat, Enes Salı, Deniz Çakır, Aslıhan Şahin, Aybüke Akaslan-Kara, Pelin Kaçar, Aylin Dizi Işık, Pınar Canizci Erdemli, Sevgi Yaşar Durmuş, Ahmet Özdemir, Binnaz Çelik, Murat Sütçü, Manolya Kara, Tuğba Kandemir-Gülmez, Aydın Çelikyurt, Zühal Ümit, Hacer Aktürk, Kamile Arıkan, Özge Kaba, Canan Caymaz, Cihangül Bayhan, Deniz Aygün, Döndü Nilay Penezoğlu, Şilem Özdem Alataş, Halil Özdemir, Özden Türel, Mehtap Akça, Emel Çelebi-Çongur, Eda Kepenekli, Ümit Çelik, İsmail Zafer Ecevit, Nurşen Belet, Nazan Dalgıç, Nisel Yılmaz, Dilek Yılmaz, Necdet Kuyucu, Ergin Çiftçi

Published in: European Journal of Pediatrics | Issue 3/2024

Abstract

To investigate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in infants aged 0 to 3 months because there is currently a significant gap in the literature on the subject. A cross-sectional study was conducted with the involvement of 19 medical centers across Turkey and 570 infants. The majority of the patients were male (58.2%), and the three most common symptoms were fever (78.2%), cough (44.6%), and feeding intolerance (39.9%). The results showed that a small percentage of infants had positive blood (0.9%) or urine cultures (10.2%). Most infants presented with fever (78.2%). Children without underlying conditions (UCs) had mostly a complicated respiratory course and a normal chest radiography. Significant more positive urine culture rates were observed in infants with fever. A higher incidence of respiratory support requirements and abnormal chest findings were seen in infants with chronic conditions. These infants also had a longer hospital stay than those without chronic conditions.

Conclusions: Our study discloses the clinical observations and accompanying bacterial infections found in infants aged under 3 months with COVID-19. These findings can shed light on COVID-19 in infancy for physicians because there is limited clinical evidence available.

What is Known: • COVID-19 in infants and older children has been seen more mildly than in adults. • The most common symptoms of COVID-19 in infants are fever and cough, as in older children and adults. COVID-19 should be one of the differential diagnoses in infants with fever.
What is New: • Although most infants under three months had fever, the clinical course was uneventful and respiratory complications were rarely observed in healthy children. • Infants with underlying conditions had more frequent respiratory support and abnormal chest radiography and stayed longer in the hospital.

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Title: COVID-19 in hospitalized infants aged under 3 months: multi-center experiences across Turkey
Authors: Gülnihan Üstündağ
Eda Karadag-Oncel
Nursel Kara-Ulu
Meltem Polat
Enes Salı
Deniz Çakır
Aslıhan Şahin
Aybüke Akaslan-Kara
Pelin Kaçar
Aylin Dizi Işık
Pınar Canizci Erdemli
Sevgi Yaşar Durmuş
Ahmet Özdemir
Binnaz Çelik
Murat Sütçü
Manolya Kara
Tuğba Kandemir-Gülmez
Aydın Çelikyurt
Zühal Ümit
Hacer Aktürk
Kamile Arıkan
Özge Kaba
Canan Caymaz
Cihangül Bayhan
Deniz Aygün
Döndü Nilay Penezoğlu
Şilem Özdem Alataş
Halil Özdemir
Özden Türel
Mehtap Akça
Emel Çelebi-Çongur
Eda Kepenekli
Ümit Çelik
İsmail Zafer Ecevit
Nurşen Belet
Nazan Dalgıç
Nisel Yılmaz
Dilek Yılmaz
Necdet Kuyucu
Ergin Çiftçi
Publication date: 16-11-2023
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keywords: COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2
Published in: European Journal of Pediatrics / Issue 3/2024
Print ISSN: 0340-6199
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1076
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-023-05329-x

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Springer Medicine

COVID-19 in hospitalized infants aged under 3 months: multi-center experiences across Turkey

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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