METHODS:
This single-center study was undertaken in Diyarbakır Children’s Hospital, the largest children’s hospital in . Children aged 0-18 who was admitted to the emergency department from March 20 to September 15, 2020 and had confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 with a positive real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were included in the study. The families of the patients were called to obtain information about the demographic characteristics, symptoms, comorbid diseases and transmission of COVID-19 Infection. The patients’ laboratory results and chest x-ray were retrospectively analyzed in the hospital’s electronic database. This study was approved by the ethics committee of the Diyarbakır Gazi Yaşargil Training and .
In order to detect the SARS-CoV-2, nasopharyngeal and nasal swabs were obtained from patients who suspected for COVID-19 disease. These specimens were put immediately in viral transport medium and kept at 4C during transport. Samples were sent to the Laboratory of Diyarbakır Gazi Yaşargil Training and to be investigated for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 pathogen using a real-time PCR method. Viral nucleic acid extract was obtained from the samples using a kit ().
By calling the families of the children we questioned;
-The symptoms of the child’s admission to the hospital,
-Whether children have symptoms during the interview,
-Whether the child was hospitalized or required intensive care unit,
-Who is the first COVID-19 patient in the family,
-From whom may the child have received the COVID-19 infection,
-How many people in the family had positive COVID-19 PCR test,
-Whether there is a family member hospitalized or required intensive care unit due to COVID-19 disease,
- Whether the child has a comorbid disease.
Phone calls were made by one and the same physician. Phone calls were made at the earliest two weeks after the patient’s COVID-19 PCR test was positive.
Cough, nasal congestion, sneezing, rhinorrhea, sore throat, and dyspnea were classified as respiratory symptoms, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain were classified as gastrointestinal symptoms
Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS packet program. Values were either provided as numbers and percentages, or as mean±standard deviation, where applicable. Comparisons of the mean age of patients and mean number of symptoms between patients whose source of infection was outside of family members and whose source of infection was family members were made using the Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test and student’s t-test. A p-value of ≤ 0.05 was considered indicative of statistical significance.