Study design and population
This prospective study included 55 paediatric patients who presented at the Emergency Department between January 2020 and July 2020 with clinical findings suggestive of COVID-19 or with a history of contact with COVID-19 infected cases, and who were then determined COVID-19 positive with a reverse transciptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. A control group was formed of 60 healthy children selected from those presenting at the General Paediatric Clinic for routine health assessments. Permission for scientific research was given by the Ministry of Health. Approval for the study was granted by the Ethics Committee of Harran University Medical Faculty (decision no:12, session: 13, dated:13.07.2020). All procedures were applied in compliance with the Helsinki Declaration.
Study Inclusion Criteria: The patients included in the study were aged <18 years with COVID-19 infection confirmed with RT-PCR.
Study Exclusion Criteria: Patients were excluded from the study if the RT-PCR test was negative despite the clinical suggestion of COVID-19 or history of contact, if treatment had been started with a positive RT-PCR result, if they smoked cigarettes, had hypertension, chronic pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, congenital heart disease, malignancy, immune deficiency, or a history of recent trauma.
The demographic characteristics of the COVID-19 cases, clinical findings, vital signs and laboratory test results were recorded.
Sampling for COVID-19 and Analysis: A nasopharyngeal swab was taken by an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist from the cases with suspected COVID-19 infection. The agent was investigated with RT-PCR from the samples obtained.