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Presentation and outcomes of Lassa fever in children in Nigeria: a prospective cohort study (LASCOPE)

Abstract:

Background

Data on the presentation, management, and outcomes of Lassa fever (LF) in children are limited.

Methods

Description of the clinical and biological features, treatment, and outcomes of reverse transcriptase and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-confirmed LF in children aged under 15, enrolled in the LASsa fever clinical COurse and Prognostic factors in an Epidemic context (LASCOPE) prospective cohort study in Nigeria between April 2018 and February 2023.

Results

One hundred twenty-four children (aged under 12 months: 19; over 12 months: 105) were hospitalized with RT-PCR-confirmed LF. All received intravenous ribavirin. During follow-up, 99/124 (80%) had fever; 71/124 (57%) had digestive symptoms, vomiting (n = 56/122, 46%) and abdominal pain (n = 34/78 aged ≥5 years, 44%) more often than diarrhea (n = 19/124, 15%); 17/124 (14%) had hemorrhagic signs; 44/112 (39%) had a hematocrit lower than 25%, of whom 32/44 (73%) received transfusions; 44/88 (50%) developed hypotension; 18/112 (16.1%) developed kidney disease improving global outcome (KDIGO) ≥2 acute kidney injury; 10/112 (8.9%) had KDIGO 3 acute kidney failure; 4/124 (3.2%) underwent renal replacement therapy. Seven children died, including 4 aged under 12 months (case fatality rate: under 12 months—22%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 7%–48%; over 12 months—2.9%, 95% CI: 0.7%–8.7%). In univariable analysis, age (P = .003), impaired consciousness (P = .026), and Lassa RT-PCR Ct value (P = .006) were associated with Day 30 mortality.

Conclusions

The fatality rate for children over 12 months hospitalized with LF was lower than that previously reported for adults. Hypotension and acute kidney injury were the most frequent organ dysfunctions. Bleeding was relatively infrequent. Anemia and the need for transfusion were common, the relative contribution of ribavirin-induced hemolysis being unknown.

Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Files:
Publisher copy:
10.1093/jpids/piae083

Authors


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Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0001-7139-2687


More from this funder
Funder identifier:
https://ror.org/031jv9v19
Grant:
RIA2016E-1612


Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Journal:
Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society More from this journal
Volume:
13
Issue:
10
Pages:
513–522
Place of publication:
England
Publication date:
2024-08-21
Acceptance date:
2024-08-19
DOI:
EISSN:
2048-7207
ISSN:
2048-7193
Pmid:
39167706


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
2023533
Local pid:
pubs:2023533
Deposit date:
2024-09-02

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