Children with COVID-19 develop moderate symptoms in most cases. Thus, a proportion of children requires hospital admission. The study aimed to assess the history, clinical and laboratory parameters in children with COVID-19 concerning the severity of respiratory symptoms. The study included 332 children (median age 57 months) with COVID-19. History data, clinical findings, laboratory parameters, treatment, and outcome, were evaluated. Children were compared in the groups that varied in the severity of symptoms of respiratory tract involvement. Children who required oxygen therapy represented 8.73%, and intensive care 1.5% of the whole cohort. Comorbidities were present in 126 patients (37.95%). Factors increasing the risk of oxygen therapy included comorbidities (odds ratio (OR) = 92.39; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = (4.19; 2036.90); p < 0.00001), dyspnea (OR = 45.81; 95% CI (4.05; 518.21); p < 0.00001), auscultation abnormalities (OR = 34.33; 95% CI (2.59; 454.64); p < 0.00001). Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) > 280 IU/L and creatinine kinase > 192 IU/L were parameters with a good area under the curve (0.804-LDH) and a positive predictive value (42.9%-CK). The clinical course of COVID-19 was mild to moderate in most patients. Children with comorbidities, dyspnea, or abnormalities on auscultation are at risk of oxygen therapy. Laboratory parameters potentially useful in patients evaluated for the severe course are LDH > 200 IU/L and CK > 192 IU/L.

Nonalcoholic fatty disease (NAFLD) affects 3–10% of the pediatric population, making it the most common chronic liver disease among children. The aim of the study is to identify potential biomarker...

Despite the enormous advances in knowledge about the SARS-CoV-2 infection, the optimal treatment for COVID-19 is still not well defined. The use of convalescent plasma seems to be a promising method of treatment but requires further evaluation. Although it is usually mild, in children with underlying chronic diseases, the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection may be very severe. We described a series of 13 pediatric patients (mean age 10.4 years, median 12) treated with convalescent plasma as a method of COVID-19 therapy. Medical history, with particular emphasis on comorbidities, clinical course, laboratory parameters, supportive treatment and virus elimination time, were analyzed. The mean hospitalization time was 22.6 days (median 20). The most common abnormalities included increased levels of C-reactive protein, D-dimer, and lymphopenia. Median time from symptom onset to convalescent plasma transfusion was 10.6 days (median 7 days). Six patients (46.2%) had a viral clearance on RT-PCR method from a nasopharyngeal swab within 3 days of transfusion, while in the remaining patients the mean elimination time was 12.1 days (median 6 days). Clinical improvement was achieved in all patients; no adverse effects were found in any of the cases. Convalescent plasma may be a promising treatment for COVID-19 in children.

Introduction Assessment of liver fibrosis as a predictive factor of liver-related mortality in children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is crucial. This study aims to estimate the risk of fibrosis using noninvasive markers. Material and methods The study group of 49 children...