Pulmonary sequelae at six months in children with SARS-CoV-2 infection:A Single-Centre Study

Objective Pulmonary sequelae post SARS - CoV-2 infection have been reported in adults; however, there is scant literature regarding pulmonary dysfunction following SARS-CoV-2 infection in children. We studied the long term pulmonary sequelae in children who had SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods This single center descriptive study conducted in a public sector tertiary care hospital in Northern India, from June, 2020 to October, 2021. We enrolled children aged 7-18 years admitted with SARS-CoV-2 infection and followed them up for 6 months. A detailed interval history was taken and pulmonary function tests were performed after 6 months, using a spirometer. A convenience sample of 40 children was enrolled. There were 21 males and the median (IQR) age was 13 (10.75, 17) years. Results Thirty percent of children ( n =12) had pulmonary function abnormalities, which was of restrictive pattern in all. Children who were underweight had higher odds of developing pulmonary dysfunction following SARS-CoV-2 infection [OR (95% CI) 5.13 (1.19, 22.11); P =0.028]. There were no significant association with age, sex, severity of initial infection and oxygen requirement during the initial infection. Three children had persistence of dyspnea during follow up. Conclusion This study is the one of the first Indian studies regarding the pulmonary sequelae in children. A possibility of long term sequelae should be considered in children with history of SARS-CoV-2, presenting with suggestive complaints.