A cohort study of 676 patients indicates D-dimer is a critical risk factor for the mortality of COVID-19

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has recently become a public emergency and a worldwide pandemic. However, the information on the risk factors associated with the mortality of COVID-19 and of their prognostic potential is limited. In this retrospective study, the clinical characteristics, treatment and outcome data were collected and analyzed from 676 COVID-19 patients stratified into 140 non-survivors and 536 survivors. We found that the levels of Dimerized plasmin fragment D (D-dimer), C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), procalcitonin (PCT) were significantly higher in non-survivals on admission (non-survivors vs. survivors: D-Dimer ≥ 0.5 mg/L, 83.2% vs. 44.9%, P<0.01; CRP ≥10 mg/L, 50.4% vs. 6.0%, P<0.01; LDH ≥ 250 U/L, 73.8% vs. 20.1%, P<0.01; PCT ≥ 0.5 ng/ml, 27.7% vs. 1.8%, P<0.01). Moreover, dynamic tracking showed D-dimer kept increasing in non-survivors, while CRP, LDH and PCT remained relatively stable after admission. D-dimer has the highest C-index to predict in-hospital mortality, and patients with D-dimer levels ≥0.5 mg/L had a higher incidence of mortality (Hazard Ratio: 4.39, P<0.01). Our study suggested D-dimer could be a potent marker to predict the mortality of COVID-19, which may be helpful for the management of patients.

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Mortality Predictors in Severe COVID-19 Patients from an East European Tertiary Center: A Never-Ending Challenge for a No Happy Ending Pandemic

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm11010058 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 58

Author(s):

Amalia-Stefana Timpau ◽

Radu-Stefan Miftode ◽

Antoniu Octavian Petris ◽

Irina-Iuliana Costache ◽

Ionela-Larisa Miftode ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Hospital Mortality ◽

Poor Prognosis ◽

Survival Rates ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Happy Ending ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Tertiary Center ◽

D Dimer

(1) Background: There are limited clinical data in patients from the Eastern European regions hospitalized for a severe form of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aims to identify risk factors associated with intra-hospital mortality in patients with COVID-19 severe pneumonia admitted to a tertiary center in Iasi, Romania. (2) Methods: The study is of a unicentric retrospective observational type and includes 150 patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia divided into two subgroups, survivors and non-survivors. Demographic and clinical parameters, as well as comorbidities, laboratory and imaging investigations upon admission, treatments, and evolution during hospitalization were recorded. First, we sought to identify the risk factors associated with intra-hospital mortality using logistic regression. Secondly, we assessed the correlations between D-Dimer and C-reactive protein and predictors of poor prognosis. (3) Results: The predictors of in-hospital mortality identified in the study are D-dimers >0.5 mg/L (p = 0.002), C-reactive protein >5mg/L (p = 0.001), and heart rate above 100 beats per minute (p = 0.001). The biomarkers were also significantly correlated the need for mechanical ventilation, admission to intensive care unit, or multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. By area under the curve (AUC) analysis, we noticed that both D-Dimer (AUC 0.741) and C-reactive protein (AUC 0.707) exhibit adequate performance in predicting a poor prognosis in patients with severe viral infection. (4) Conclusions: COVID-19′s outcome is significantly influenced by several laboratory and clinical factors. As mortality induced by severe COVID-19 pneumonia is considerable, the identification of risk factors associated with negative outcome coupled with an early therapeutic approach are of paramount importance, as they may significantly improve the outcome and survival rates.

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Risk factors associated with 28-day all-cause mortality in older severe COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, China: a retrospective observational study

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-79508-3 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yi Jiang ◽

Subi Abudurexiti ◽

Meng-Meng An ◽

Da Cao ◽

Jie Wei ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Osmotic Pressure ◽

Older Patients ◽

Troponin I ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

D Dimer

AbstractWe aimed to analyse clinical characteristics and identify risk factors predicting all-cause mortality in older patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A total of 281 older patients with severe COVID-19 were categorized into two age groups (60–79 years and ≥ 80 years). Epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory data, and outcome were obtained. Patients aged ≥ 80 years had higher mortality (63.6%) than those aged 60–79 years (33.5%). Anorexia and comorbidities including hypertension, diabetes and COPD, higher levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), osmotic pressure, C-reactive protein, D-dimer, high-sensitivity troponin I and procalcitonin, and higher SOFA scores were more common in patients aged > 80 years than those aged 60–79 years and also more common and higher in non-survivors than survivors. LDH, osmotic pressure, C-reactive protein, D-dimer, high-sensitivity troponin I, and procalcitonin were positively correlated with age and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), whereas CD8+ and lymphocyte counts were negatively correlated with age and SOFA. Anorexia, comorbidities including hypertension, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), LDH, osmotic pressure, and SOFA were significantly associated with 28-day all-cause mortality. LDH, osmotic pressure and SOFA were valuable for predicting 28-day all-cause mortality, whereas the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of LDH was the largest, with sensitivity of 86.0% and specificity of 80.8%. Therefore, patients with severe COVID-19 aged ≥ 80 years had worse condition and higher mortality than did those aged 60–79 years, and anorexia and comorbidities including hypertension, diabetes, COPD, elevated plasma osmotic pressure, LDH, and high SOFA were independent risk factors associated with 28-day all-cause mortality in older patients with severe COVID-19. LDH may have the highest predictive value for 28-day all-cause mortality in all examined factors.

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What is the clinical course of patients hospitalised for COVID-19 treatment Ireland: a retrospective cohort study in Dublin’s North Inner City (the ‘Mater 100’)

HRB Open Research ◽

10.12688/hrbopenres.13138.1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

pp. 80

Author(s):

Brendan O’Kelly ◽

Colm Cronin ◽

Stephen Peter Connolly ◽

Walter Cullen ◽

Gordana Avramovic ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care ◽

Clinical Characteristics ◽

Laboratory Data ◽

Supplemental Oxygen ◽

University Hospital ◽

Initial Assessment ◽

Hospital Treatment ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

D Dimer

Background: Ireland has experienced an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). While several cohorts from China have been described, there is little data describing the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of Irish patients with COVID-19. To improve our understanding of this infection we performed a retrospective review of patient data to examine the clinical characteristics of patients admitted for COVID-19 hospital treatment. Methods: Demographic, clinical and laboratory data on the first 100 patients admitted to Mater Misericordiae University Hospital for in-patient COVID-19 treatment after onset of the outbreak in March 2020 was extracted from patient records. Results: The median age was 45 years (interquartile range [IQR] =34-64 years), 58% were male, and 63% were Irish nationals. Patients had symptoms for a median of five days before diagnosis (IQR=2.5-7 days), most commonly cough (72%), fever (65%), dyspnoea (37%), fatigue (28%), myalgia (27%) and headache (24%). Of all cases, 54 had at least one pre-existing chronic illness (most commonly hypertension, diabetes mellitus or asthma). At initial assessment, the most common abnormal findings were: C-reactive protein >7.0mg/L (74%), ferritin >247μg/L (women) or >275μg/L (men) (62%), D-dimer >0.5μg/dL (62%), chest imaging (59%), NEWS Score (modified) of ≥3 (55%) and heart rate >90/min (51%). Supplemental oxygen was required by 27 patients, of which 17 were admitted to the intensive care unit - 14 requiring ventilation. Antiviral therapy was administered to 40 patients (most commonly hydroxychloroquine or lopinavir/ritonavir). Four died, 17 were admitted to intensive care, and 74 were discharged home, with nine days the median hospital stay (IQR=6-11). Conclusion: Our findings reinforce the consensus of COVID-19 as an acute life-threatening disease and highlights the importance of laboratory (ferritin, C-reactive protein, D-dimer) and radiological parameters, in addition to clinical parameters. Further cohort studies followed longitudinally are a priority.

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Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients With Diabetes Admitted for COVID-19 Treatment in Dubai: Single-Centre Cross-Sectional Study

JMIR Public Health and Surveillance ◽

10.2196/22471 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. e22471

Author(s):

Rahila Bhatti ◽

Amar Hassan Khamis ◽

Samara Khatib ◽

Seemin Shiraz ◽

Glenn Matfin

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care Unit ◽

Intensive Care ◽

Clinical Characteristics ◽

Laboratory Data ◽

Length Of Hospital Stay ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Patients With Diabetes ◽

D Dimer

Background Recent studies have shown that diabetes is a major risk factor that contributes to the severity of COVID-19 and resulting mortality. Poor glycemic control is also associated with poor patient outcomes (eg, hospitalization and death). Objective This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with diabetes who were admitted to our hospital for COVID-19 treatment. Methods This cross-sectional, observational study comprised patients with diabetes admitted with COVID-19 to Mediclinic Parkview Hospital in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from March 30 to June 7, 2020. We studied the differences among characteristics, length of hospital stay, diabetes status, comorbidities, treatments, and outcomes among these patients. Results Of the cohort patients, 25.1% (103/410) had coexistent diabetes or prediabetes. These patients represented 17 different ethnicities, with 59.2% (61/103) from Asian countries and 35% (36/103) from Arab countries. Mean patient age was 54 (SD 12.5) years, and 66.9% (69/103) of patients were male. Moreover, 85.4% (88/103) of patients were known to have diabetes prior to admission, and 14.6% (15/103) were newly diagnosed with either diabetes or prediabetes at admission. Most cohort patients had type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, and only 2.9% (3/103) of all patients had type 1 diabetes. Furthermore, 44.6% (46/103) of patients demonstrated evidence suggesting good glycemic control during the 4-12 weeks prior to admission, as defined arbitrarily by admission hemoglobin A1c level <7.5%, and 73.8% (76/103) of patients had other comorbidities, including hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and dyslipidemia. Laboratory data (mean and SD values) at admission for patients who needed ward-based care versus those who needed intensive care were as follows: fibrinogen, 462.8 (SD 125.1) mg/dL vs 660.0 (SD 187.6) mg/dL; D-dimer, 0.7 (SD 0.5) µg/mL vs 2.3 (SD 3.5) µg/mL; ferritin, 358.0 (SD 442.0) mg/dL vs 1762.4 (SD 2586.4) mg/dL; and C-reactive protein, 33.9 (SD 38.6) mg/L vs 137.0 (SD 111.7) mg/L. Laboratory data were all significantly higher for patients in the intensive care unit subcohort (P<.05). The average length of hospital stay was 14.55 days for all patients, with 28.2% (29/103) of patients requiring intensive care. In all, 4.9% (5/103) died during hospitalization—all of whom were in the intensive care unit. Conclusions Majority of patients with diabetes or prediabetes and COVID-19 had other notable comorbidities. Only 4 patients tested negative for COVID-19 RT-PCR but showed pathognomonic changes of COVID-19 radiologically. Laboratory analyses revealed distinct abnormal patterns of biomarkers that were associated with a poor prognosis: fibrinogen, D-dimer, ferritin, and C-reactive protein levels were all significantly higher at admission in patients who subsequently needed intensive care than in those who needed ward-based care. More studies with larger sample sizes are needed to compare data of COVID-19 patients admitted with and without diabetes within the UAE region.

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What is the clinical course of patients hospitalised for COVID-19 treatment Ireland: a retrospective cohort study in Dublin’s North Inner City (the ‘Mater 100’)

10.21203/rs.3.rs-34035/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Brendan O’Kelly* ◽

Colm Cronin* ◽

Stephen Peter Connolly* ◽

Walter Cullen ◽

Gordana Avramovic ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care ◽

Clinical Characteristics ◽

Antiviral Treatment ◽

Laboratory Data ◽

University Hospital ◽

Initial Assessment ◽

Hospital Treatment ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

D Dimer

Abstract Background: Since March 2020, Ireland has experienced an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). To date, while several cohorts from China have been described, our understanding is limited, with no data describing the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 in Ireland. To improve our understanding of the clinical characteristics of this emerging infection we carried out a retrospective review of patient data to examine the clinical characteristics of patients admitted for COVID-19 hospital treatment.Methods: Demographic, clinical and laboratory data on the first 100 adult patients admitted to Mater Misericordiae University Hospital (MMUH) for in-patient COVID-19 treatment after onset of the outbreak in March 2020 was extracted from clinical and administrative records. Missing data were excluded from the analysis.Results: Fifty-eight per cent were male, 63% were Irish nationals, 29% were GMS eligible, and median age was 45 years (interquartile range [IQR] =34-64 years). Patients had symptoms for a median of five days before diagnosis (IQR=2.5-7 days), most commonly cough (72%), fever (65%), dyspnoea (37%), fatigue (28%), myalgia (27%) and headache (24%). Of all cases, 54 had at least one pre-existing chronic illness (most commonly hypertension, diabetes mellitus or asthma). At initial assessment, the most common abnormal findings were: C-reactive protein >7.0mg/L (74%), ferritin >247μg/L (women) or >275μg/L (men) (62%), D-dimer >0.5μg/dL (62%), chest imaging (59%), NEWS Score (modified) of ≥3 (55%) and heart rate >90/min (51%). Twenty-seven required supplemental oxygen, of which 17 were admitted to the intensive care unit - 14 requiring ventilation. Forty received antiviral treatment (most commonly hydroxychloroquine or lopinavir/ritonavir). Four died, 17 were admitted to intensive care, and 74 were discharged home, with nine days the median hospital stay (IQR=6-11).Conclusion: Our findings reinforce the emerging consensus of COVID-19 as an acute life-threatening disease and highlights, the importance of laboratory (ferritin, C-reactive protein, D-dimer) and radiological parameters, in addition to clinical parameters. Further cohort studies involving larger samples followed longitudinally are a priority.

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Effectiveness of Convalescent Plasma Therapy for COVID-19 Patients in Hunan, China

Dose-Response ◽

10.1177/1559325820979921 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 155932582097992

Author(s):

Xingsheng Hu ◽

Chunhong Hu ◽

Dixuan Jiang ◽

Qian Zuo ◽

Ya Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Adverse Reactions ◽

Albumin Level ◽

Outcome Data ◽

Efficacy And Safety ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Plasma Therapy ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Critical Patients ◽

D Dimer

Objective: To investigate clinical efficacy and safety of convalescent plasma (CP) therapy in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Methods: We included 4 severe patients and 3 critical patients. The date of admission to hospital ranged from January 30 to February 19, 2020. We retrospectively collected clinical and outcome data. Relative parameters were compared. Results: After CP therapy, the symptoms and respiratory functions were improved. Median PaO2/FIO2 increased from 254 (142-331) to 326 (163–364), and dependence of oxygen supply decreased. Median time to lesion’s first absorption was 5 (2–7) days, undetectable viral RNA was 11 (3.5–15.7) days. Median lymphocyte count (0.77 × 109/L vs 0.85 × 109/L) and albumin level (31g/L vs 36 g/L) were elevated, C-reactive protein (44 mg/L vs 18 mg/L), D-dimer (5.9 mg/L vs 4 mg/L) and lactate dehydrogenase (263 U/L vs 245 U/L) decreased. No obvious adverse reactions were observed. At the follow-up on June 14, 2020, 6 patients had completely recovered and one died from terminal disease. Conclusion: CP therapy for COVID-19 was effective and safe. Three patients who did not combine with antiviral therapy after CP also obtained viral clearance and clinical improvement. However, CP therapy failed to save the life of a terminally ill patient.

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Overviews of Reviews of the comorbidities, symptoms and perinatal clinical characteristics of patients with coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)

10.31219/osf.io/k52xw ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Santiago Vasco-Morales ◽

Cristhian Vasco-Toapanta ◽

Paola Toapanta-Pinta

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Liver Function ◽

Preterm Labor ◽

Clinical Characteristics ◽

Blood Count ◽

Well Being ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Section Operation ◽

D Dimer

What is the incidence in pregnant women of: preterm labor, C-section operation, pneumonia, cough, fever, radiological alterations in the chest, alterations in the blood count, liver function, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, high D-dimer, thrombocytopenia, globular sedimentation rate.What is the incidence in the neonate of: low birth weight, fetal well-being commitment, low Apgar score, radiological alterations in chest, alterations in the blood count, liver function, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, high D-dimer, thrombocytopenia, and what is the globular sedimentation rate, the vertical transmission of COVID-19 symptoms, and what are the clinical characteristics?

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Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients With Diabetes Admitted for COVID-19 Treatment in Dubai: Single-Centre Cross-Sectional Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.22471 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Rahila Bhatti ◽

Amar Hassan Khamis ◽

Samara Khatib ◽

Seemin Shiraz ◽

Glenn Matfin

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care Unit ◽

Intensive Care ◽

Clinical Characteristics ◽

Laboratory Data ◽

Length Of Hospital Stay ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Patients With Diabetes ◽

D Dimer

BACKGROUND Recent studies have shown that diabetes is a major risk factor that contributes to the severity of COVID-19 and resulting mortality. Poor glycemic control is also associated with poor patient outcomes (eg, hospitalization and death). OBJECTIVE This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with diabetes who were admitted to our hospital for COVID-19 treatment. METHODS This cross-sectional, observational study comprised patients with diabetes admitted with COVID-19 to Mediclinic Parkview Hospital in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from March 30 to June 7, 2020. We studied the differences among characteristics, length of hospital stay, diabetes status, comorbidities, treatments, and outcomes among these patients. RESULTS Of the cohort patients, 25.1% (103/410) had coexistent diabetes or prediabetes. These patients represented 17 different ethnicities, with 59.2% (61/103) from Asian countries and 35% (36/103) from Arab countries. Mean patient age was 54 (SD 12.5) years, and 66.9% (69/103) of patients were male. Moreover, 85.4% (88/103) of patients were known to have diabetes prior to admission, and 14.6% (15/103) were newly diagnosed with either diabetes or prediabetes at admission. Most cohort patients had type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, and only 2.9% (3/103) of all patients had type 1 diabetes. Furthermore, 44.6% (46/103) of patients demonstrated evidence suggesting good glycemic control during the 4-12 weeks prior to admission, as defined arbitrarily by admission hemoglobin A1<sub>c</sub> level <7.5%, and 73.8% (76/103) of patients had other comorbidities, including hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and dyslipidemia. Laboratory data (mean and SD values) at admission for patients who needed ward-based care versus those who needed intensive care were as follows: fibrinogen, 462.8 (SD 125.1) mg/dL vs 660.0 (SD 187.6) mg/dL; D-dimer, 0.7 (SD 0.5) µg/mL vs 2.3 (SD 3.5) µg/mL; ferritin, 358.0 (SD 442.0) mg/dL vs 1762.4 (SD 2586.4) mg/dL; and C-reactive protein, 33.9 (SD 38.6) mg/L vs 137.0 (SD 111.7) mg/L. Laboratory data were all significantly higher for patients in the intensive care unit subcohort (<i>P</i><.05). The average length of hospital stay was 14.55 days for all patients, with 28.2% (29/103) of patients requiring intensive care. In all, 4.9% (5/103) died during hospitalization—all of whom were in the intensive care unit. CONCLUSIONS Majority of patients with diabetes or prediabetes and COVID-19 had other notable comorbidities. Only 4 patients tested negative for COVID-19 RT-PCR but showed pathognomonic changes of COVID-19 radiologically. Laboratory analyses revealed distinct abnormal patterns of biomarkers that were associated with a poor prognosis: fibrinogen, D-dimer, ferritin, and C-reactive protein levels were all significantly higher at admission in patients who subsequently needed intensive care than in those who needed ward-based care. More studies with larger sample sizes are needed to compare data of COVID-19 patients admitted with and without diabetes within the UAE region.

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Paediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome Associated with COVID-19 Infection: A Case Series

JOURNAL FOR CLINICAL AND DIAGNOSTIC RESEARCH ◽

10.7860/jcdr/2021/49495.15332 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Aneesha Mathew ◽

Akshay K Nair ◽

Harish Kumar ◽

Renoy Phillip ◽

Rini Susan Varghese

Keyword(s):

Emergency Room ◽

Clinical Characteristics ◽

Case Series ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Inotropic Support ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Childhood Disease ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Inflammatory Syndrome ◽

D Dimer

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS) is a newer, rarer and dangerous childhood disease that require early attention and is associated with Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection. This article reports four clinically ill children of age 6-15 years admitted to Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, during October and November 2020. The diagnosis was based on elevated laboratory values (D-Dimer, C-Reactive Protein (CRP), and Ferritin) and positive COVID-19 antibody test. No infectious aetiologies were identified. All patients presented at Emergency Room (ER) with hypotensive shock and were treated with inotropic support, Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIg), and steroids. Children responded well to treatment and were discharged within a period of 8-11 days. Clinical characteristics are necessary for understanding more about newly identified paediatric illness.

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Clinical characteristics of children infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Italy

Italian Journal of Pediatrics ◽

10.1186/s13052-021-01045-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 47 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Isabella Tarissi De Jacobis ◽

Rosa Vona ◽

Camilla Cittadini ◽

Alessandra Marchesi ◽

Laura Cursi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Electronic Medical Records ◽

Medical Records ◽

Clinical Characteristics ◽

Pediatric Population ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Normal Range ◽

Laboratory Findings ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Males And Females ◽

D Dimer

Abstract Background Since December 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan and spread rapidly worldwide. Despite the high number of people affected, data on clinical features and prognostic factors in children and adolescents are limited. We propose a retrospective study aimed to evaluate clinical characteristics of children infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Italy. Methods A pediatric population admitted with COVID-19 to Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital of Rome (Italy) in the period from the end of February to July 2020 has been studied. Medical history, comorbidities, symptoms and laboratory findings were obtained from patients’ electronic medical records. Results In 66 patients (35 males and 31 females) we found that: i) fever and cough were the dominant symptoms, while vomit and convulsions were rare symptoms; and ii) all ages of childhood were susceptible to COVID-19. Furthermore, we found that, compared to females, males with COVID-19, although not significantly, had higher values of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and ESR. Conversely, we found that COVID-19 positive females were older than males and required more days of hospitalization. Both males and females COVID-19 positives had procalcitonin values within the normal range and D-Dimer values slightly higher than the normal range. With regard to this latter marker, the value measured in females, although not significant, was higher than that measured in males. Interestingly, the presence of leukopenia was found in both sexes. Conclusions Compared to the adults we found that COVID-19 infection in children is a non-severe inflammatory disease in both males and females. In any case, many detailed studies should be conducted.

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