Description of a national, multi-center registry of patients with sickle cell disease and SARS-CoV-2 infection: Data from the Pediatric COVID-19 United States Registry

Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2024 Jun;71(6):e30909. doi: 10.1002/pbc.30909. Epub 2024 Mar 12.

Abstract

Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at risk of complications from viral infections, including SARS-CoV-2. We present the clinical characteristics and outcomes of pediatric patients with SCD from the Pediatric COVID-19 United States Registry who developed acute COVID-19 due to SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 259) or multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C; n = 4). Nearly half of hospitalized children with SCD and SARS-CoV-2 infection required supplemental oxygen, though children with SCD had fewer intensive care (ICU) admissions compared to the general pediatric and immunocompromised populations. All registry patients with both SCD and MIS-C required ICU admission. Children with SCD are at risk of severe disease with SARS-CoV-2 infection, highlighting the importance of vaccination in this vulnerable population.

Keywords: COVID; MIS‐C; SCD; sickle cell anemia.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anemia, Sickle Cell* / complications
  • Anemia, Sickle Cell* / epidemiology
  • Anemia, Sickle Cell* / therapy
  • COVID-19* / complications*
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Registries*
  • SARS-CoV-2*
  • Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / epidemiology
  • Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / etiology
  • United States / epidemiology

Supplementary concepts

  • pediatric multisystem inflammatory disease, COVID-19 related