Clinical and nutritional aspects and outcomes of covid-19 in pediatric oncology and non-
oncology patients
Keywords: Coronavirus; Hospitalization; Cancer; Children; Adolescents.
Since 2020, the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been the subject of study by several researchers
worldwide, however, there are questionsto be elucidated. This study aims to analyze the clinical
and nutritional aspects of hospitalized pediatric patients, oncological and non-oncological, and
the association with the outcomes of COVID-19. Cohort study conducted with hospitalized
children and adolescents with laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19. Patients were evaluated
according to whether or not they had previous oncologic disease. Sociodemographic, clinical
and nutritional data were investigated during the course of the infection. Outcomes were ICU
admission, longer length of stay (≥ 14 days), criticality, and death. Oncologic disease was found
in 16 (19,3%) patients, most of whom B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In binary logistic
regression adjusted for age and sex, an association was found between oncologic disease and
length of stay ≥ 14 days (OR 6.77; 95% CI 1.86 – 24.6; p=0.00), criticality of COVID-19 (OR
7.18; 95% CI 1.66 – 30.9; p= 0.00) and death (OR 8.80; 95% CI 1.38 – 55.93; p= 0.02). The
investigation reveled that oncology patients had longer hospital stays, a higher chance of
presenting with the severe form of COVID-19, and were 8.8 times more likely to die.