COVID-19 in Children With Rheumatic Diseases in the Spanish National Cohort EPICO-AEP
Cristina Calvo, Clara Udaondo, The Rheumatic Diseases EPICO-AEP Working Group
Abstract
To the Editor: SARS-CoV-2 infection in children is relatively mild. Approximately 10% of identified cases are pediatric,1 with a small proportion needing hospitalization. About 25–60% of children admitted with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have comorbidities.2,3 Studies in adults with rheumatic diseases (RD) show that immune-mediated inflammatory disease and use of biologics are not associated with a worse clinical outcome of COVID-19.4,5,6,7 However, if patients have poorly controlled active RD or receive corticosteroids, they may be at an increased risk of infection and serious disease. Based on previous case series, scientific associations have released management recommendations for these patients.8,9 We aimed to describe the prevalence of RD among children younger than 18 years with SARS-CoV-2 infection at the 49 hospitals included in the Spanish national cohort EPICO-AEP. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University Hospital 12 de Octubre (code 20/101). Informed consent was obtained from parents and mature minors. By June 30, 2020, there were 350 children admitted to the hospital, of which 48 (13.7%) required intensive care unit admission, and 4 (1.1%) died. Among the pediatric patients admitted with COVID-19, 8 … Address correspondence to Dr. C. Calvo, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Pº Castellana, 261.28046 Madrid, Spain. Email: ccalvorey{at}gmail.com.