Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital and Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
Division of Pediatric Epidemiology, Institute of Social Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 80336 München, Germany.
Viruses. 2022 Sep 22;14(10):2102. doi: 10.3390/v14102102.
(1) Background: When the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 first emerged in Germany in January 2022, data on related disease severity among children and adolescents were not yet available. Given Omicron's high transmissibility, the ability to assess its impact on admission and hospitalization rates in children's hospitals is critical for the purpose of understanding the scope of its burden on the German healthcare system. (2) Methods: From 24 January 2022 to 31 July 2022, SARS-CoV-2 cases admitted to German pediatric hospitals were monitored via a national, clinician-led reporting system (CLRS) established by the German Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases (DGPI). Cases treated on general wards and intensive care units, as well as patient age and the need for respiratory support, were recorded. (3) Results: From January to July 2022, a median of 1.7 cases (range 0.4-3) per reporting pediatric hospital per day was hospitalized in general wards, whereas a median of 0.1 cases (range 0-0.4 cases) was admitted to intensive care units. Of all hospitalized patients, 4.2% received respiratory support. (4) Conclusions: Despite the high incidence rates documented in connection with the Omicron variant in early 2022, the number of pediatric hospital admissions, and especially the number of cases with the need for intensive care treatment and respiratory support due to symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, remained relatively low. Higher Omicron incidence rates had only a modest impact on SARS-CoV-2-related admissions and hospitalization in German children's hospitals.
(1) 背景：2022 年 1 月，SARS-CoV-2 的奥密克戎变异株首次在德国出现，当时儿童和青少年相关疾病严重程度的数据尚不可用。鉴于奥密克戎的高传染性，评估其对儿童医院入院和住院率的影响能力对于了解其对德国医疗保健系统负担的范围至关重要。(2) 方法：2022 年 1 月 24 日至 2022 年 7 月 31 日，通过德国儿科传染病学会（DGPI）建立的国家临床医生主导报告系统（CLRS）监测德国儿科医院收治的 SARS-CoV-2 病例。记录了在普通病房和重症监护病房治疗的病例以及患者年龄和呼吸支持需求。(3) 结果：2022 年 1 月至 7 月，平均每天每家报告的儿科医院有 1.7 例（范围 0.4-3）住院于普通病房，而平均有 0.1 例（范围 0-0.4 例）住院于重症监护病房。所有住院患者中，4.2%接受了呼吸支持。(4) 结论：尽管在 2022 年初奥密克戎变异株相关发病率很高，但儿科医院的入院人数，尤其是因有症状的 SARS-CoV-2 感染而需要重症治疗和呼吸支持的病例数量仍然相对较低。更高的奥密克戎发病率对德国儿童医院与 SARS-CoV-2 相关的入院和住院率仅有适度影响。
