Epidemiology of 7375 children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19 in Germany, reported via a prospective, nationwide surveillance study in 2020-2022.
Doenhardt M, Hufnagel M, Diffloth N, Hübner J, Mauer R, Schneider DT, Simon A, Tenenbaum T, Trotter A, Armann J, Berner R (2024)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2024
Journal
Book Volume: 14
Journal Issue: 1
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49210-1
Abstract
By means of a nationwide, prospective, multicenter, observational cohort registry collecting data on 7375 patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 admitted to children's hospitals in Germany, March 2020-November 2022, our study assessed the clinical features of children and adolescents hospitalized due to SARS-CoV-2, evaluated which of these patients might be at highest risk for severe COVID-19, and identified underlying risk factors. Outcomes tracked included: symptomatic infection, case fatality, sequelae at discharge and severe disease. Among reported cases, median age was one year, with 42% being infants. Half were admitted for reasons other than SARS-CoV-2. In 27%, preexisting comorbidities were present, most frequently obesity, neurological/neuromuscular disorders, premature birth, and respiratory, cardiovascular or gastrointestinal diseases. 3.0% of cases were admitted to ICU, but ICU admission rates varied as different SARS-CoV-2 variants gained prevalence. Main risk factors linked to ICU admission due to COVID-19 were: patient age (> 12 and 1-4 years old), obesity, neurological/neuromuscular diseases, Trisomy 21 or other genetic syndromes, and coinfections at time of hospitalization. With Omicron, the group at highest risk shifted to 1-4-year-olds. For both health care providers and the general public, understanding risk factors for severe disease is critical to informing decisions about risk-reduction measures, including vaccination and masking guidelines.
Involved external institutions
Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus Dresden
Germany (DE)
Universitätsklinikum Freiburg
Germany (DE)
Klinikum der Universität München
Germany (DE)
Universität Witten/Herdecke
Germany (DE)
Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes (UKS)
Germany (DE)
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Germany (DE)
Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
Germany (DE)
Germany (DE)
Universitätsklinikum Freiburg
Germany (DE)
Klinikum der Universität München
Germany (DE)
Universität Witten/Herdecke
Germany (DE)
Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes (UKS)
Germany (DE)
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Germany (DE)
Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
Germany (DE)
How to cite
APA:
Doenhardt, M., Hufnagel, M., Diffloth, N., Hübner, J., Mauer, R., Schneider, D.T.,... Berner, R. (2024). Epidemiology of 7375 children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19 in Germany, reported via a prospective, nationwide surveillance study in 2020-2022. Scientific Reports, 14(1). https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-49210-1
MLA:
Doenhardt, Maren, et al. "Epidemiology of 7375 children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19 in Germany, reported via a prospective, nationwide surveillance study in 2020-2022." Scientific Reports 14.1 (2024).
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