Comparative study of the clinical characteristics and epidemiological trend of 244 COVID-19 infected children with or without GI symptoms
Xiao-li Xiong, Kenneth Kak‐Yuen Wong, Shui-qing Chi, Ai-fen Zhou, Jian-qiao Tang, Li-shan Zhou, Bhy Chung, Gilbert T. Chua, Ketih Tung, Ian Chi Kei Wong, Celine Sze Ling Chui, Xue Li, Mike Yat Wah Kwan, Wilfred Hing Sang Wong, M. Ho, Gcf Chan, Cao Guo-qing, Kang Li, Patrick Ip, Peng Chen, Shao‐tao Tang, Paul Kwong-Hang Tam
Abstract
Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms1 2 and positive stool severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) detection3 have been reported in COVID-19 infected patients. However, these studies mainly focused on the adult population, and it is still not known whether children with COVID-19 have similar GI involvement. We here report the clinical characteristics of 244 consecutive COVID-19 positive children from Wuhan, during the period 21 January to 20 March 2020. All were confirmed to have SARS-CoV-2 by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on nasopharyngeal swabs. We specifically compared the differences between patients with and without GI symptoms (having at least one of the following: diarrhoea; nausea and vomiting; abdominal pain; and decreased feeding). In our cohort, 34 of 244 (13.9%) presented with GI symptoms on admission. These patients were much younger (14 vs 86 months; p<0.05), and more than half were under 3 years old. For the clinical and laboratory parameters, patients with GI symptoms were more likely to have fever on admission (70.6% vs 35.7%, p<0.05) (table 1). No other significant differences were found between the two groups, including respiratory symptoms, the duration of …