Presentation characteristics of children presenting to PICU with a PCR-positive diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Children who presented with a paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome were excluded from this description
| Characteristics | Patients (n=11) |
| Median age, years (IQR) | 5 (0.4–11.1) |
| Male, n (%) | 9 (81) |
| Ethnicity: Black, Asian and minority ethnic, n (%) | 4 (36) |
| PIM3 predicted mortality, n (%) | |
| <1% | 5 (42) |
| 1%–5% | 4 (36) |
| 5%–15% | 1 (9) |
| 15%–30% | 0 |
| >30% | 1 (9) |
| Coexisting disorder, n (%) | |
| Weight above 91st centile | 3 (27) |
| Cancer | 1 (9) |
| Pre-existing respiratory disease* | 2 (18) |
| Prematurity | 2 (18) |
| Congenital heart disease | 1 (9) |
| Median duration of symptoms before admission, no of days (IQR) | 2 (1.5–3) |
| Primary presenting symptoms, n (%) | |
| Cough | 6 (55) |
| Apnoea | 3 (27) |
| Fever | 10 (90) |
| Gastrointestinal (abdominal pain/vomiting/diarrhoea) | 6 (55) |
| Seizures† | 3 (27) |
| Microbiology | |
| SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positive on nasopharyngeal aspirate | 11 (100) |
| RSV or influenza RT-PCR positive on nasopharyngeal aspirate | 0 |
| Sputum cultures positive for other organisms | 2 (10)‡ |
| Blood culture positive for other organisms | 0 |
| Chest radiography findings, n (%) | |
| No new parenchymal changes | 3 (64) |
| Parenchymal changes including acute on chronic changes | 8 (36) |
*Pre-existing respiratory disorder included chronic lung disease and non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.
†Two of the children presented had previously defined epilepsy.
‡Equivocal growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans.
PICU, paediatric intensive care unit; PICU, paediatric intensive care unit; PIM3, paediatric index of mortality version 3; RSV, respiratory syncytial virus; RT-PCR, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.