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
4◦C 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.