The risk of cardiac involvement with electrophysiological abnormalities during COVID-19 infection has been reported in adults but remains poorly studied in children. Our aim was to determine the frequency of cardiac involvement and the necessity of routine cardiac evaluation in children hospitalized for COVID-19. This observational study included 127 children, with a median (IQR) age of 2 (0.83–6.0) years, who were hospitalized for COVID-19 between 1 January 2021 and 31 August 2022, 62 (48.8%) of whom were males. Each patient underwent an ECG on admission and discharge as well as a laboratory assessment. A comparison between patients with COVID-19 and healthy controls showed significantly higher HR (p < 0.0001) and lower PR values (p = 0.02) in the first group. No arrhythmias or other electrocardiographic abnormalities were detected during hospitalization. The median levels of troponin, NT-proBNP, ferritin, and D-dimer were significantly higher in children aged <2 years, but they fell within the normal range for their age. Our results indicate that a detectable cardiac involvement is very rare in children hospitalized for COVID-19 and not suffering from Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) and suggest that routine electrocardiographic assessment is not mandatory in these patients in the absence of cardiac symptoms/signs.
Electrocardiography in Children Hospitalized for COVID-19 and Not Suffering from Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C): An Observational Study / Locci, Cristian; Bassareo Pier, Paolo; Fanelli, Chiara; Maida, Ivana; Saderi, Laura; Puci Mariangela, V.; Sotgiu, Giovanni; Culeddu Maria, Chiara; Piga, Stefania; Oppo, Antonella; Antonucci, Roberto. - In: JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR DEVELOPMENT AND DISEASE. - ISSN 2308-3425. - 11:3(2024). [10.3390/jcdd11030085]
Electrocardiography in Children Hospitalized for COVID-19 and Not Suffering from Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C): An Observational Study
Locci Cristian
;Fanelli Chiara;Maida Ivana;Puci Mariangela V.;Sotgiu Giovanni;Piga Stefania;Oppo Antonella;Antonucci Roberto
2024-01-01
Abstract
The risk of cardiac involvement with electrophysiological abnormalities during COVID-19 infection has been reported in adults but remains poorly studied in children. Our aim was to determine the frequency of cardiac involvement and the necessity of routine cardiac evaluation in children hospitalized for COVID-19. This observational study included 127 children, with a median (IQR) age of 2 (0.83–6.0) years, who were hospitalized for COVID-19 between 1 January 2021 and 31 August 2022, 62 (48.8%) of whom were males. Each patient underwent an ECG on admission and discharge as well as a laboratory assessment. A comparison between patients with COVID-19 and healthy controls showed significantly higher HR (p < 0.0001) and lower PR values (p = 0.02) in the first group. No arrhythmias or other electrocardiographic abnormalities were detected during hospitalization. The median levels of troponin, NT-proBNP, ferritin, and D-dimer were significantly higher in children aged <2 years, but they fell within the normal range for their age. Our results indicate that a detectable cardiac involvement is very rare in children hospitalized for COVID-19 and not suffering from Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) and suggest that routine electrocardiographic assessment is not mandatory in these patients in the absence of cardiac symptoms/signs.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.