SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in children with cystic fibrosis: A cross‐sectional multicenter study in Spain. New waves, new knowledge
Pedro Mondejar‐Lopez, Laura Moreno‐Galarraga, Cristina de Manuel‐Gomez, Enrique Blitz‐Castro, Maynor Bravo‐Lopez, Silvia Gartner, Estela Perez‐Ruiz, Pilar Caro‐Aguilera, Veronica Sanz‐Santiago, Alejandro Lopez‐Neyra, Carmen Luna‐Paredes, Miguel Garcia‐Gonzalez, Jordi Costa‐Colomer, Maria Cols‐Roig, Isabel Delgado‐Pecellin, Silvia Castillo‐Corullon, Marta Ruiz de Valbuena‐Maiz, Patricia W. Garcia‐Marcos, Antonio J. Aguilar‐Fernandez, Carlos Martin‐De Vicente, Mª Verisima Barajas‐Sanchez, Orlando Mesa‐Medina, Catalina Bover‐Bauza, Joan Figuerola‐Mulet, Belen Garcia‐Aviles, Mª Jesus Rodriguez‐Saez, Carlos Garcia‐Magan, Patricia Juarez‐Marruecos, Jose Ramon Gutierrez‐Martinez, Isidoro Cortell‐Aznar, David Gomez‐Pastrana, M. Valle Velasco‐Gonzalez, M. Isabel Barrio, Manuel Sanchez‐Solis, Oscar Asensio de la Cruz, Maria Dolores Pastor‐Vivero- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
- Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health
Abstract
Introduction
The association between viral infections and pulmonary exacerbations in children with cystic fibrosis (cwCF) is well established. However, the question of whether cwCF are at a higher risk of COVID‐19 or its adverse consequences remains controversial.
Methods
We conducted an observational, multicenter, cross‐sectional study of cwCF infected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) between March 2020 and June 2022, (first to sixth COVID‐19 pandemic waves) in Spain. The study aimed to describe patients' basal characteristics, SARS‐CoV‐2 clinical manifestations and outcomes, and whether there were differences across the pandemic waves.
Results
During study time, 351 SARS‐CoV2 infections were reported among 341 cwCF. Median age was 8.5 years (range 0–17) and 51% were female. Cases were unevenly distributed across the pandemic, with most cases (82%) clustered between November 2021 and June 2022 (sixth wave, also known as Omicron Wave due to the higher prevalence of this strain in that period in Spain). Most cwCF were asymptomatic (24.8%) or presented with mild Covid‐19 symptoms (72.9%). Among symptomatic, most prevalent symptoms were fever (62%) and increased cough (53%). Infection occurring along the sixth wave was the only independent risk factor for being symptomatic. Just eight cwCF needed hospital admission. No multisystem inflammatory syndrome, persisting symptoms, long‐term sequelae, or deaths were reported.
Conclusions
Spanish current data indicate that cwCF do not experience higher risks of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection nor worse health outcomes or sequelae. Changes in patients' basal characteristics, clinical courses, and outcomes were detected across waves. While the pandemic continues, a worldwide monitoring of COVID‐19 in pediatric CF patients is needed.