Manifestări bronhopulmonare evolutive în infecția COVID-19 la copii

Abstract

Introduction: In the assessment of bronchopulmonary complications from the COVID-19 infection, the imaging methods are of choice, and the gold standard is HRCT (high-resolution computed tomography). Aim: assessment of the volume, location and type of bronchopulmonary damage by imaging techniques (HRCT) in children at the evolutionary stages of the COVID-19 infection. Material and methods: The research is a descriptive study of 88 children, aged 0-17 years, admitted to the Pneumology Clinic, between March 2021 and December 2022. All children were examined by chest CT. Results: According to the imaging data, 60 children (68.2%:95%CI 58.54-76.51) had pulmonary pathological changes, and 28 children (31.8%:95%CI 23.49-41 ,46) a normal lung appearance was confirmed. The highest proportion according to age was infants, with CT changes in 45,3%:95%CI 35.9-52.96. The fibrotic pattern of different degrees, was found in 35% of children. Areas of lung tissue consolidation had an impressive prevalence of 71%. The "ground glass" type changes suggestive of lung damage in COVID-19 infection were present in 9 children. Solitary, as well as multiple air bubbles up to 1cm in size were in 7.54% of cases. 8 Conclusions: The COVID-19 infection is not only an acute infection, but is a complex entity with post-infection complications and long-lasting effects, especially pulmonary ones. Children are predisposed to develop lung changes post COVID-19 with a higher proportion of infants. Pulmonary fibrotic changes were attested in 35%.