Changing Trends in Paediatric Acute Respiratory Infections: Pre- and post-COVID-19 presenting to an emergency department in an academic tertiary hospital in Oman

Authors

Awatif K Alsarrai Al-Alawi, Department of Emergency Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, University Medical City, Muscat, OmanFollow
Aalia Adnan Alwahshi, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
Darpanarayan Hazra, Department of Emergency Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, University Medical City, Muscat, Oman
Usama Al Khalasi, Department of Emergency Medicine, Armed Forces Hospital, Muscat, Oman
Amal Al-Shibli, Department of Emergency Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, University Medical City, Muscat, Oman
Azhaar Al Harrasi, Department of Emergency Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, University Medical City, Muscat, Oman
Sumaira Iram, Department of Emergency Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, University Medical City, Muscat, Oman

Abstract

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted seasonal paediatric respiratory infections due to widespread non-pharmaceutical interventions, sharply reducing viral circulation. This study aimed to compare paediatric viral acute respiratory infection (ARI) patterns and outcomes pre- and post-COVID-19 using hospital-based data from Oman. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Paediatric Emergency Department, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in Muscat, Oman. Paediatric patients who underwent PCR testing for respiratory viruses before (December 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019) and after (April 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023) the pandemic. Quantitative data is presented as means ± standard deviations and qualitative data as frequencies and percentages. Absolute/percentage changes replaced t-tests. Chi-square tests compared categorical variables and multivariate logistic regression adjusted for confounders. Results: A total of 1,077 patients were analysed with 555 pre-COVID-19 and 522 post-COVID-19 cases (–5.95%). When comparing these two time periods, the number of children under 6 months decreased (24.7% to 17.8%; P = 0.0075), those aged 6–9 years increased (11.4% to 16.5%; P = 0.019), dyspnoea rose (25.4% to 40.6%; P P = 0.007), influenza A (8.8% to 16.3%; P P P = 0.018) and adenovirus increased but not significantly (P = 0.059). Post-COVID-19, hospital admissions (P P = 0.029), oxygen use (P = 0.032) and the need for non-invasive ventilation (NIV) use (P = 0.0004) as well as duration (3.81 to 5.71 days; P = 0.024) increased. Paediatric intensive care unit metrics showed no significant change. Older age reduced risk (P P P = 0.006) and NIV use (P = 0.0019). Gender, coinfection and influenza A were not significant. Conclusion: Post-COVID-19, paediatric ARIs worsened in severity and shifted in age distribution, with more influenza A and coinfections, demanding updated protocols and ongoing surveillance.

Publication Date

12-4-2025

First Page

1087

Last Page

1096

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Al-Alawi, Awatif K Alsarrai; Alwahshi, Aalia Adnan; Hazra, Darpanarayan; Khalasi, Usama Al; Al-Shibli, Amal; Al Harrasi, Azhaar; and Iram, Sumaira (2025) "Changing Trends in Paediatric Acute Respiratory Infections: Pre- and post-COVID-19 presenting to an emergency department in an academic tertiary hospital in Oman," Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal: Vol. 25: 1087-1096.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18295/2075-0528.2939