Analysis of factors associated with admission to the intensive care unit of children and adolescents with COVID-19: application of a multilevel model

TL;DR

This study identifies factors like gender, symptoms, and socioeconomic indicators linked to ICU admission for children and adolescents with COVID-19 in Paraíba.

Contribution

The study applies a multilevel regression model to better estimate the impact of patient and social factors on ICU admission for pediatric COVID-19 cases.

Findings

Male patients, respiratory distress, and dyspnea increase ICU admission odds.

Higher Gini index and increasing age reduce ICU admission likelihood.

Multilevel models improve estimation of patient and social effects on ICU needs.

Abstract

To identify factors associated with hospitalization in the intensive care unit in children and adolescents with COVID-19.

This was a retrospective cohort study using secondary data of hospitalized children and adolescents (zero to 18 years old) with COVID-19 reported in Paraíba from April 2020 to July 2021, totaling 486 records. Descriptive analysis, logistic regression and multilevel regression were performed, utilizing a significance level of 5%.

According to logistic regression without hierarchical levels, there was an increased chance of admission to the intensive care unit for male patients (OR = 1.98; 95%CI 1.18 - 3.32), patients with respiratory distress (OR = 2.43; 95%CI 1.29 - 4.56), patients with dyspnea (OR = 3.57; 95%CI 1.77 - 7.18) and patients living in large cities (OR = 2.70; 95%CI 1.07 - 6.77). The likelihood of requiring intensive care was observed to decrease with increasing age (OR = 0.94; 95%CI = 0.90 - 0.97), the presence of cough (OR = 0.32; 95%CI 0.18 - 0.59) or fever (OR = 0.42; 95%CI 0.23 - 0.74) and increasing Gini index (OR = 0.003; 95%CI 0.000 - 0.243). According to the multilevel analysis, the odds of admission to the intensive care unit increased in male patients (OR = 1.70; 95%CI = 1.68-1.71) and with increasing population size of the municipality per 100,000 inhabitants (OR = 1.01; 95%CI 1.01-1.03); additionally, the odds of admission to the intensive care unit decreased for mixed-race versus non-brown-skinned patients (OR = 0.981; 95%CI 0.97 - 0.99) and increasing Gini index (OR = 0.02; 95%CI 0.02 - 0.02).

The effects of patient characteristics and social context on the need for intensive care in children and adolescents with SARS-CoV-2 infection were better estimated with the inclusion of a multilevel regression model.

Identificar fatores associados ao internamento na unidade de terapia intensiva de crianças e adolescentes com COVID-19.

Estudo de coorte retrospectiva, com dados secundários, de crianças e adolescentes hospitalizados (zero a 18 anos), notificados com COVID-19 na Paraíba, de abril de 2020 a julho de 2021, totalizando 486 registros. Foram realizadas análise descritiva, regressão logística e regressão multinível, considerando o nível de significância de 5%.

Na regressão logística sem níveis hierárquicos, ocorreu aumento da chance de internamento na unidade de terapia intensiva em pacientes do sexo masculino (RC = 1,98; IC95% 1,18 - 3,32), com desconforto respiratório (RC = 2,43; IC95% 1,29 - 4,56), dispneia (RC = 3,57; IC95% 1,77 - 7,18) e residentes em cidades com grande porte populacional (RC = 2,70; IC95% 1,07 - 6,77). Foi observada diminuição da chance de cuidados intensivos com aumento da idade em anos (RC = 0,94; IC95%=0,90 - 0,97), presença de tosse (RC = 0,32; IC95% 0,18 - 0,59), febre (RC = 0,42; IC95% 0,23 - 0,74) e aumento no Índice de Gini (RC = 0,003; IC95% 0,000 - 0,243). Na análise multinível, a chance de internamento na unidade de terapia intensiva aumentou no sexo masculino (RC = 1,70; IC95%=1,68-1,71) e por conta do aumento no porte populacional do município a cada 100 mil habitantes (RC = 1,01; IC95% 1,01 - 1,03); a chance de internamento na unidade de terapia intensiva diminuiu em pacientes pardos versus não pardos (RC = 0,981; IC95% 0,97 - 0,99) e por conta do aumento a cada pontuação do Índice de Gini (RC = 0,02; IC95% 0,02 - 0,02).

Os efeitos das condições próprias do paciente e do contexto social na necessidade de cuidados intensivos em crianças e adolescentes com infecção pelo SARS-CoV-2 são mais bem estimados com a inclusão de um modelo de regressão multinível nas análises.

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