Comparison of RT-PCR, lung CT Scan, and Anti-COVID-۱۹ Antibody Results in Hospitalized Children Suspected for COVID-۱۹

Background: Mild symptoms of COVID-۱۹ in children may lead to delayed or misdiagnosis. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is an approved laboratory method for detecting COVID-۱۹ virus. Given that COVID-۱۹ is considered an emerging disease, its diagnostic methods in children have not yet been well compared. Therefore, this study was designed to compare RT-PCR, lung CT scan, and anti-COVID-۱۹ antibody results in hospitalized children suspected for COVID-۱۹.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on patients less than ۱۸ years of age, suspected fot COVID-۱۹, and admitted to Shahid Sadoughi Hospital in Yazd, Iran, from February ۲۰۲۰ to February ۲۰۲۱. All hospitalized children who had suspected COVID-۱۹ based on their initial clinical symptoms or signs, and had undergone RT-PCR were included in the study. Demographic data such as age, sex, contact history with COVID-۱۹ patients, clinical manifestations, outcome, comorbidities, and information on other paraclinical procedures were collected by checklist.Results: In total, ۵۳.۳% of the patients were male, and ۵۹% were under five years old. The most common symptom was fever (۸۱%), followed by respiratory distress (۳۴.۳%) and diarrhea (۲۶.۷%), and cough (۱۹%). Additionally, a significant relationship was observed between respiratory symptoms and a positive PCR test (P = ۰.۰۲۰) and positive lung CT findings (P = ۰.۰۱۷). This study failed to find a significant association between PCR, chest CT scan, and anti-COVID-۱۹ antibody results with ICU admission, endotracheal intubation, and death (P>۰.۰۵).Conclusions: Our findings showed a significant association between respiratory symptoms, positive RT- PCR, and positive CT findings. But ICU admission, endotracheal intubation, and death were not significantly correlated with PCR, chest CT scan, and anti-COVID-۱۹ antibodies

کلیدواژه ها:

COVID-۱۹ ، Computed Tomography ، Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ، Hospitalized children