Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No. 312, Xihong Road, Fuzhou, 350025, Fujian, China.
Department of Infectious Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Putian College, Putian, Fujian, China.
BMC Infect Dis. 2022 Sep 8;22(1):728. doi: 10.1186/s12879-022-07707-6.
This study compared clinical features of the Delta variant of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children and adults.
Clinical data included 80 children and 132 adults with the Delta variant of COVID-19, hospitalized in the Affiliated Hospital of Putian College between September and October 2021. The data was analyzed retrospectively.
The proportion of mild patients in the children group (50%) was higher than that in the adults group (17.9%). Cough (25%, 20/80) and diarrhea (1.3%, 1/80) symptoms in children group were significantly less frequent. Compared with adults, there was no significant difference in the viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in samples collected by nasopharyngeal swabs. In children, lymphocyte count was higher [1.98 (0.25-4.25) vs 1.20 (0.29-4.27) ×10/L], whereas the interleukin-6 level was lower [5.87 (1.50-61.40) vs 15.15 (1.79-166.30) pg/mL] than that in adults group. Additionally, the incidence of liver injury in children group was lower than that in adults group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of proteinuria (22/75 vs 45/112) between the two groups, but the serum creatinine level in children was lower [42.0 (28.0-73.0) vs 57.0 (32.0-94.0) µmol/L].
Compared with adults, children with the Delta variant of COVID-19 have differences in symptoms, clinical classification, inflammatory indices, and liver/kidney function injury. Children's illness is relatively mild. Clinicians should pay attention to their differences and use drugs accurately.
本研究比较了 2019 年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）Delta 变异株在儿童和成人中的临床特征。
临床数据包括 2021 年 9 月至 10 月在莆田学院附属医院住院的 80 例儿童和 132 例成人的 Delta 变异株 COVID-19 患者的临床资料。对这些数据进行回顾性分析。
儿童组轻症患者比例（50%）高于成人组（17.9%）。儿童组咳嗽（25%，20/80）和腹泻（1.3%，1/80）症状发生率明显低于成人组。与成人组相比，鼻咽拭子样本中 SARS-CoV-2 的病毒载量无显著差异。儿童组淋巴细胞计数较高[1.98（0.25-4.25）比 1.20（0.29-4.27）×10/L]，白细胞介素-6 水平较低[5.87（1.50-61.40）比 15.15（1.79-166.30）pg/ml]。此外，儿童组肝损伤发生率低于成人组。两组蛋白尿发生率（22/75 比 45/112）无显著差异，但儿童组血肌酐水平较低[42.0（28.0-73.0）比 57.0（32.0-94.0）µmol/L]。
与成人相比，儿童感染 COVID-19 的 Delta 变异株在症状、临床分型、炎症指标和肝/肾功能损伤方面存在差异。儿童病情相对较轻。临床医生应注意这些差异并准确用药。
