%0 Journal Article
%T Comparison of the Clinical Profile and Severity Factors of COVID-19 during the First 4 Waves in a Paediatric Population of Yaounde
%A Jocelyn Tony Nengom
%A Suzanne Sap Ngo Um
%A Louis Serge Tang Nlend
%A Bonaventure Hollong
%A Jeannette Ep¨¦e Ngou¨¦
%A Paul Olivier Koki Ndombo
%J Open Journal of Pediatrics
%P 125-137
%@ 2160-8776
%D 2023
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/ojped.2023.131016
%X <strong>Introduction:</strong><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\"> COVID</span><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">-</span><span style=\"font-family:&quot;\"><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">19 is an
infectious disease that has been causing a global pandemic since 2019. Although
clinical forms are generally less severe in children than in adults, children
nevertheless present polymorphous clinical forms and severe cases that can lead
to death. </span><b><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">Objective: </span></b><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">To describe the clinical presentations found in the
different waves of COVID-19, and to highlight the different factors of
severity. </span><b><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">Materials and Methods:</span></b><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\"> We conducted a cross-sectional study
with retrospective and prospective data collection which lasted 7 months (from
November 2021 to June 2022) and cover</span></span><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">ed</span><span style=\"font-family:&quot;\"><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\"> a study period from 6 March 2020 to 22 June 2022, </span><i><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">i.e.</span></i><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\"> 27 months. All patients aged 0 to 18 years, suspected of
having COVID-19, confirmed by real-time RT-PCR or an antigenic Rapid Diagnostic
Test or antibody were included. These patients were to be managed in the Mother
and Child Centre of the Chantal Biya Foundation, as well as in the Specialised
Centre for the Management of COVID patients, annex number II of the Yaound¨¦
Central Hospital. The results were analysed using IBM SPSS.23 software. </span><b><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">Results: </span></b><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">We included 163 patients in our study. No paediatric patients were
registered during the 3</span><sup><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">rd</span></sup></span><span style=\"font-family:&quot;\"> </span><span style=\"font-family:&quot;\"><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">wave. The mean age of the patients in the study population was 13 ¡À 5
years with extremes from 15 days to 18 years. We had a female predominance with
a sex ratio of 0.83. The most common comorbidity was asthma. The first wave
presented mainly with respiratory symptoms such as dry cough and signs of
respiratory distress. The second wave presented mainly with digestive symptoms
such as diarrhoea, abdominal pain and vomiting. The fourth wave presented with
ENT signs such as sore throat, and rhinorrhea. Factors associated with
%K COVID-19
%K Children
%K Waves
%K Clinical Profile
%K Severity
%K Cameroon
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=122591