Epidemiological, Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics of Hospitalized Children with SARS-CoV-2 Infection During Three Consecutive Pandemic Years: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) generally follows a milder clinical course in children than in adults. The clinical characteristics of pediatric severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection have evolved throughout the pandemic and longitudinal data comparing successive pandemic years remain limited.

Objective

To compare the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of children hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection during 2020–2022 and to identify factors associated with disease severity.

Methods