# Characteristics of pediatric patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the third wave (omicron variant) at a referral hospital in Peru

## TL;DR

This study describes the hospitalization patterns and outcomes of children with COVID-19 during the omicron wave in Peru.

## Contribution

The study provides insights into pediatric hospitalizations during the omicron wave in Peru, highlighting trends and treatment patterns.

## Key findings

- Hospitalizations increased rapidly during the omicron wave compared to previous waves.
- Most patients had favorable outcomes, with a small percentage requiring intensive care or ventilation.
- Antibiotics and corticosteroids were the most commonly used drugs during hospitalization.

## Abstract

This study aimed to describe the characteristics of pediatric patients (28 days to 14 years of age) hospitalized with COVID-19 during the third wave of the pandemic (omicron variant) at the Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins (HNERM) (Lima, Peru). In this retrospective cohort, we reviewed the medical records of 122 pediatric patients who attended HNERM between January and early April 2022 (55% male, median age: 5 years); 77.9% attended HNERM during the first month, and half of them had some comorbidity. Participants were hospitalized mainly for respiratory distress, decompensated comorbidity, and dehydration. Of the participants, 6.6% were admitted to intensive care, 4.9% to invasive mechanical ventilation, 5.7% required some vasoactive agent and 1.6% died. The most commonly used drugs were antibiotics (43.4%) and corticosteroids (27.1%). In conclusion, hospitalizations rapidly increased during the third wave, when compared to previous waves, most of them with favorable progression and with a wide empirical use of antibiotics.

El objetivo del presente estudio fue describir las características de los pacientes pediátricos (entre 28 días y 14 años) hospitalizados con COVID-19 durante la tercera ola (variante ómicron) en el Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins (HNERM) (Lima, Perú). En esta cohorte retrospectiva, se revisaron las historias clínicas de 122 pacientes pediátricos que fueron atendidos en el HNERM entre enero e inicios de abril del 2022 (55% varones, mediana de edad de 5 años), 77,9% durante el primer mes, y la mitad presentaron alguna comorbilidad. Se hospitalizaron principalmente por dificultad respiratoria, comorbilidad descompensada y deshidratación. El 6,6% ingresaron a cuidados intensivos, 4,9% a ventilación mecánica invasiva, 5,7% requirieron algún vasoactivo y 1,6% fallecieron. Los fármacos más usados fueron antibióticos (43,4%) y corticoides (27,1%). En conclusión, se encontró un incremento rápido de hospitalizaciones en comparación con las olas anteriores, la mayoría con evolución favorable, y con un amplio uso empírico de antibióticos.