Risk Factors of the Severity of COVID-19 Infection in Infants

Background: The global COVID-19 crisis has profoundly affected populations worldwide. While it is widely accepted that olderindividuals are at greater risk of severe illness, data indicate that in newborns and infants, the disease is generally not fatal.Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the roles of laboratory tests and clinical symptoms in determiningthe severity of COVID-19 infection in infants younger than three months.Methods: This study included all infants less than three months old with positive PCR tests for COVID-19 admitted to theChildren's Medical Center between October 2020 and March 2022. We analyzed the association between disease severity andclinical symptoms, as well as laboratory findings.Results: Sixty-four neonates and infants under three months of age with COVID-19 participated in the study. Our findingssuggest that lower birth weight and gestational age are associated with increased disease severity. Infants with underlyingmedical conditions were found to have a higher risk of reaching stage IIb or greater severity. Among laboratory and clinicalfindings, only white blood cell (WBC) count and cough symptoms showed a significant correlation with disease severity.Conclusions: Clinical evaluations, along with factors such as birth weight, gestational age, and underlying conditions, appearmore effective in guiding decision-making for COVID-19 severity in infants. Further studies are necessary to explore theinfluence of these factors on COVID-19 severity in this age group