while 5NS The wave of the Covid-19 epidemic continues to rise in France and the health protocol has been upgraded to level 3 in schools, the youngest of which are the subject of public interest. What if asthmatic children with Covid-19 were more likely to be admitted to hospital than children without asthma? This is suggested by a recent Scottish study published in the journal. Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
Children with asthma and COVID-19
Faced with the urgent need to provide answers about the need or not to vaccinate children with asthma against SARS-CoV-2, the Scottish researchers wanted to identify children with asthma who are at increased risk of severe consequences associated with Covid-19.
between 1He is March 2020 and July 27, 2021, so they conducted a study of 752,867 Scottish children aged 5 to 17 with Covid-19. Hmm then Comparison of hospitalization frequency for Covid-19 in asthmatic and non-asthmatic children.
Increased risk of hospitalization
Scientists note that children with asthma infected with Covid-19 were more likely to be hospitalized than children without it who suffer from asthma. Children with asthma had higher rates of hospitalization (1.54% for asthmatic patients vs. 0.95% for others) and this was proportional to their asthma severity (3 to 6 times more dependent on disease severity.crisis).
This difference was most pronounced in children with the most severe asthma. Thus, children who are already hospitalized with asthma have a significantly increased risk of hospitalization associated with Covid-19 compared to children without asthma. The same was true for children with asthma who had received treatment multiple times (two or more courses of oral corticosteroids for asthma) and who were therefore at increased risk of hospitalization due to SARS-CoV-2.
For the authors of this study, These findings are in favor of prioritizing children with asthma in the context of vaccination children under 12, Even if they realize that their risk of being admitted to intensive care and dying associated with Covid is still very low.
The latest government announcements are heading in this direction with the vaccination opening on December 15 Children ages 5 to 11 are considered “vulnerable” and at risk of contracting severe forms of Covid-19.
Déborah L., Doctor of Pharmacy
Resources
– Covid-19: Seven questions about the vaccination of children aged 5-11, which “could start on December 20”. francetvinfo.fr. Accessed December 7, 2021.