Data_Sheet_1_Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of COVID-19 in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.PDF

Given the relatively low rate and limited publicly available data regarding children with SARS-CoV-2 infection, this knowledge gap should be addressed with urgency. This systematic review with meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the epidemiological spectrum and clinical characteristics of children infected with SARS-CoV-2. Relevant international and Chinese public databases were systematically searched to identify all case studies from January 1, 2020 to May 7, 2020. This study consisted of 96 studies involving 7004 cases. The mean age of pediatric cases was 6.48 years (95% CI 52.0–77.5), 90% had household contact, and 66% presented with mild to moderate clinical syndromes. The main symptoms were fever (47%, 95% CI 41–53%) and cough (42%, 95% CI 36–48%). About 23% of children were asymptomatic, 27% had comorbidity, and 29% had a co-infection. The pooled mean incubation period was 9.57 days (95% CI 7.70–11.44). The shedding of SARS-CoV-2 in the upper respiratory tract lasted 11.43 days, and 75% of patients had virus particles in their stool. A total of 34% of the children had neutropenia and 26% had lymphocytosis. Interferon-alpha (81%) was the most commonly used antiviral drug in the children. The discharge and death rates were 79 and 1%. In conclusion, the transmissibility of pediatric COVID-19 should be not ignored because of the relatively long incubation period, shedding duration, and mild clinical syndromes.

鉴于儿童感染严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）的相关报道率较低且公开可用数据有限，这一知识缺口亟待填补。本项整合了元分析（meta-analysis）的系统综述旨在评估感染该病毒的儿童的流行病学特征谱与临床特点。研究系统检索了相关国际及中国公共数据库，筛选出2020年1月1日至2020年5月7日期间发表的所有病例研究。本次研究共纳入96项相关研究，涉及7004例病例。儿科病例的平均年龄为6.48岁（95%置信区间：52.0~77.5），90%存在家庭接触史，66%表现为轻至中度临床综合征。主要症状为发热（47%，95%置信区间：41%~53%）与咳嗽（42%，95%置信区间：36%~48%）。约23%的儿童为无症状感染者，27%存在基础合并症，29%存在合并感染。合并后的平均潜伏期为9.57天（95%置信区间：7.70~11.44）。该病毒在上呼吸道的排毒时长为11.43天，75%的患者粪便中可检测到病毒颗粒。共有34%的儿童出现中性粒细胞减少症，26%出现淋巴细胞增多症。干扰素-α（81%）是儿童患者中最常使用的抗病毒药物。出院率与病死率分别为79%与1%。综上，由于儿童新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）的潜伏期、排毒时长相对较长且临床症状多较轻微，其传播能力不应被忽视。