Assessment of Clinical Outcomes Among Children and Adolescents Hospitalized With COVID-19 in 6 Sub-Saharan African Countries
Authors: Jean B. Nachega, Nadia A. Sam-Agudu, Rhoderick N. Machekano, Helena Rabie, Marieke M. van der Zalm, Andrew Redfern, Angela Dramowski, Natasha O’Connell, Michel Tshiasuma Pipo, Marc B. Tshilanda, Liliane Nsuli Byamungu, Refiloe Masekela, Prakash Mohan Jeena, Ashendri Pillay, Onesmus W. Gachuno, John Kinuthia, Daniel Katuashi Ishoso, Emmanuella Amoako, Elizabeth Agyare, Evans K. Agbeno, Charles Martyn-Dickens, Justice Sylverken, Anthony Enimil, Aishatu Mohammed Jibril, Asara M. Abdullahi, Oma Amadi, Umar Mohammed Umar, Lovemore Nyasha Sigwadhi, Michel P. Hermans, John Otshudiema Otokoye, Placide Mbala-Kingebeni, Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum, Alimuddin Zumla, Nelson K. Sewankambo, Hellen Tukamuhebwa Aanyu, Philippa Musoke, Fatima Suleman, Prisca Adejumo, Emilia V. Noormahomed, Richard J. Deckelbaum, Mary Glenn Fowler, Léon Tshilolo, Gerald Smith, Edward J. Mills, Lawal W. Umar, Mark J. Siedner, Mariana Kruger, Philip J. Rosenthal, John W. Mellors, Lynne M. Mofenson, Jean B. Nachega, Nadia A. Sam-Agudu, Rhoderick N. Machekano, Helena Rabie, Marieke M. Van der Zalm, Andrew Redfern, Angela Dramowski, Natasha O'Connell, Michel T. Pipo, Marc B. Tshilanda, Liliane N. Byamungu, Refiloe Masekela, Prakash M. Jeena, Ashendri Pillay, Onesmus W. Gachuno, John Kinuthia, Daniel K. Ishoso, Emmanuela Amoako, Elizabeth Agyare, Evans K. Agbeno, Charles Martyn-Dickens, Justice Sylverken, Anthony Enimil, Aishatu M. Jibril, Asara M. Abdullahi, Oma Amadi, Umar M. Umar, Lovemore N. Sigwadhi, Michel P. Hermans, John O. Otokoye, Placide Mbala-Kingebeni, Alimuddin Zumla, Hellen T. Aanyu, Philippa Musoke, Fatima Suleman, Emilia V. Noormahomed, Mary G. Fowler, Leon Tshilolo, Mariana Kruger, Gerald Smith, Philip J. Rosenthal, Edward J. Mills, Lawal W. Umar, John W. Mellors, Prisca Adejumo, Nelson K. Sewankambo, Mark J. Siedner, Richard J. Deckelbaum, Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum, Lynne M. Mofenson, Nancy Mongweli, Peter S. Nyasulu, Joule Madinga, Christian Bongo-Pasi Nswe, Jean-Marie N. Kayembe, Abdon Mukalay, Alfred Mteta, Aster Tsegaye, Don Jethro M. Landu, Serge Zigabe, Ameena Goga, Rodney Ehrlich, Andre P. Kengne, John L. Johnson, Peter Kilmarx, Birhanu Ayele, Ireneous N. Dasoberi, Clara Sam-Woode, Georgina Yeboah, Chibueze Adirieje
Journal: JAMA Pediatrics (2022)

Little is known about COVID-19 outcomes among children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, where preexisting comorbidities are prevalent.To assess the clinical outcomes and factors associated with outcomes among children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19 in 6 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.This cohort study was a retrospective record review of data from 25 hospitals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda from March 1 to December 31, 2020, and included 469 hospitalized patients aged 0 to 19 years with SARS-CoV-2 infection.Age, sex, preexisting comorbidities, and region of residence.An ordinal primary outcome scale was used comprising 5 categories: (1) hospitalization without oxygen supplementation, (2) hospitalization with oxygen supplementation, (3) ICU admission, (4) invasive mechanical ventilation, and (5) death. The secondary outcome was length of hospital stay.Among 469 hospitalized children and adolescents, the median age was 5.9 years (IQR, 1.6-11.1 years); 245 patients (52.4%) were male, and 115 (24.5%) had comorbidities. A total of 39 patients (8.3%) were from central Africa, 172 (36.7%) from eastern Africa, 208 (44.3%) from southern Africa, and 50 (10.7%) from western Africa. Eighteen patients had suspected (n = 6) or confirmed (n = 12) multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Thirty-nine patients (8.3%) died, including 22 of 69 patients (31.9%) who required intensive care unit admission and 4 of 18 patients (22.2%) with suspected or confirmed multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Among 468 patients, 418 (89.3%) were discharged, and 16 (3.4%) remained hospitalized. The likelihood of outcomes with higher vs lower severity among children younger than 1 year expressed as adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 4.89 (95% CI, 1.44-16.61) times higher than that of adolescents aged 15 to 19 years. The presence of hypertension (aOR, 5.91; 95% CI, 1.89-18.50), chronic lung disease (aOR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.65-5.37), or a hematological disorder (aOR, 3.10; 95% CI, 1.04-9.24) was associated with severe outcomes. Age younger than 1 year (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio [asHR], 0.48; 95% CI, 0.27-0.87), the presence of 1 comorbidity (asHR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.40-0.72), and the presence of 2 or more comorbidities (asHR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.18-0.38) were associated with reduced rates of hospital discharge.In this cohort study of children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa, high rates of morbidity and mortality were observed among infants and patients with noncommunicable disease comorbidities, suggesting that COVID-19 vaccination and therapeutic interventions are needed for young populations in this region.