Clinical Characteristics, Complications, and the Safety & Efficacy of Favipiravir Treatment in Pediatric COVID-19 Patients Hospitalized at Sawanpracharak Hospital

Bararee  Choursamran

Authors

Bararee Choursamran Sawanpracharak Hospital

Keywords:

Favipiravir, Covid-19, Pediatric, Child

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected pediatric populations, and concerning the efficacy and safety of Favipiravir in these patients, remains limited.

Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics, complications, and the efficacy and safety of Favipiravir treatment in pediatric COVID-19 patients hospitalized at Sawanpracharak Hospital.

Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study. Data were collected from medical records of pediatric patients aged 0-15 years with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 admitted to Sawanpracharak Hospital between January 13, 2020, and October 31, 2021. Patients were categorized based on SARS-CoV-2 variant surveillance data (pre-Delta and Delta periods). Demographic data, clinical characteristics, complications, treatments, clinical outcomes, and factors associated with Favipiravir administration were analyzed.

Results: A total of 303 pediatric patients were included. Most (270 patients, 89.11%) were infected during the Delta variant period. The median age was 5.5 (IQR 1.6-9.4) years. The most common presenting symptoms were fever (50.17%), followed by cough (39.27%), while 30.36% were asymptomatic. Favipiravir was administered to 47.19% (143 patients). Age group was significantly associated with Favipiravir receipt, with children younger than 1 year being substantially more likely to receive the drug than older age groups (p-value< 0.0001). Pneumonia was a primary indication for treatment; 78 out of 80 pneumonia patients (97.5%) received Favipiravir. Among pneumonia patients treated with Favipiravir (n=78), most (70.51%) received a 5-day course. Most of these patients (74.36%) were afebrile or became afebrile within 1 day (15.38%) after initiating Favipiravir. One adverse event, vomiting (0.7% of recipients), was reported. All patients in this study recovered and were discharged.

Conclusion: Favipiravir was widely used in hospitalized pediatric COVID-19 patients, particularly in children younger than 1 year and those with pneumonia. It demonstrated preliminary efficacy in reducing fever in pneumonia patients and exhibited a relatively high safety profile in the studied cohort.

Keywords: Favipiravir, Covid-19, Pediatric, Child

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