Introduction
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute
respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)1, has
created a global healthcare pandemonium with over 21 million cases and
over 755,000 deaths reported worldwide as of early August
20202. Since its inception in Wuhan, China in December
2019 as a cluster of cases presenting with influenza-like illness, the
virus’ uncurbed spread has spanned over 213 countries and territories
resulting in the World Health Organization (WHO) announcing it as a
pandemic on 11 March 20203. The disease presented
itself in the earlier stages primarily as a respiratory illness with
higher morbidity and mortality in older individuals4.
However, the evolving trends of this novel disease highlighted the
diversity of presenting features and involvement within pediatric age
groups. To date, most of the available literature focuses on the adult
population leaving a noticeable gap in description of pediatric
COVID-19. Of assurance, COVID-19 has fared well in children with initial
trends showing milder form of illness, less hospitalizations and minimal
fatality as reported in various studies worldwide5-7.
However, the evolving disease trends have depicted varied severity in
children with United States Center for Disease Control (CDC) releasing a
health advisory reporting a Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in
Children (MIS-C) related to COVID-19 on May 14th,
20208. Our progressing knowledge about the disease in
the past few months necessitates a data-rich meta-analysis of pediatric
COVID-19 to establish statistical significance across these studies and
thereby, understanding the validity of the observed parameters.
The study aims to describe clinical presentation, laboratory and
radiographic findings, treatment modalities and outcomes of pediatric
patients under age 19 with COVID-19. Furthermore, the perpetual rapid
escalation of cases worldwide and upcoming re-opening of educational
institutes necessitates a more inclusive look into pediatric
presentations of COVID-19 to guide immediate health and education
policy-making worldwide.
Methodology