1 - Allergy and Clinical Immunology Department, Hospital de Dona Estefânia, CHULC, Lisbon, Portugal
2 - Paediatric Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital de Dona Estefânia, CHULC, Lisbon, Portugal
3 - CEDOC, Integrated Pathophysiological Mechanisms Research Group, Nova Medical School, Lisbon, Portugal
- EAACI Congress 2021, reunião internacional, apresentação sob a forma de poster
Resumo:
Introdução: According to current evidence, the lungs are the most affected organ in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Recent data shows impairment of carbon monoxide diffusing capacity, decreased total lung capacity, and restrictive ventilatory defect in COVID-19 adult patients. Data in children are lacking.
Objetivos: Our goal was to characterize clinically and demographically the pediatric population with asthma that tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in our hospital during 2020 and evaluate the pulmonary function after the infection.
Métodos: Cross-sectional study performed in Hospital Dona Estefânia, from March 2nd to December 31st, 2020. All pediatric asthmatic patients (<18 years) who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (RT-PCR test) were included. Asthma diagnosis was based on a pre-vious physician’s diagnosis or parent-reported history. A convenience sample of the asthmatic patients performed spirometry and carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO).
Resultados: We were able to identify 20 asthmatic patients [50% male; median age: 10.5 years old (P25– 75: 9– 14.5)]. Atopic comorbidities were present in 75% (n=15) (rhinitis the most frequent). According to GINA, 11 (55%) had mild and 9 (45%) moderate asthma. Five patients (25%) needed hospital admission because of COVID- 19 infection, 3 had asthma exacerbation, and 3 had COVID-19 pneumonia. Nine of the 20 patients performed spirometry and DLCO after COVID-19 infection. Respiratory function was performed few months after the infection [median=3 months (P25– 75: 2– 6.5)]. In our sample, we found 2 patients with obstructive ventilation impairment and small airway dysfunction. We didn’t find any statistically significant differ-ence between de FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC ratio, FEF25– 75, and peak expiratory flow (PEF) before and after COVID-19 infection. There were 2 asthmatics with impaired DLCO (65.1% and 64.7%).
Conclusões: Two patients showed obstructive ventilation, but it could be due to the variable airflow limitation of asthma, and 2 had DLCO impairment. We didn’t find any statistically significant difference between respiratory function before and after COVID-19 infection. However, this is a small sample, and further evaluations with larger populations are needed.
Palavras-Chave: COVID-19, Respiratory function, ashtma, children