Comparing COVID-19 Variants in Children Hospitalized for Concern of Tracheostomy-associated Infection: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study

Authors

Ilana Moffet, From the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, District of Columbia.
Naoko Kono, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
Margaret Rush, Division of Hospital Medicine, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia.
Christopher J. Russell, Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California.
Andrea Hahn, Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

12-1-2025

Journal

The Pediatric infectious disease journal

DOI

10.1097/INF.0000000000005080

Keywords

COVID-19; pediatrics; tracheostomy; vaccination

Abstract

In this ancillary study of a larger, prospective cohort study, we sought to compare presentation and outcomes of COVID-19 infections by variant (alpha, delta, and omicron) in 103 children with tracheostomy (108 admissions) hospitalized for concern of bacterial tracheostomy-associated infection. Dexamethasone use was significantly higher with delta compared to alpha (78% vs. 40%; OR, 5.5; P = 0.04). Increased oxygen (76%-89%) and ventilatory support during hospitalization (35-67%) were noted across all variants. Death occurred in 3%-6% of patients.

APA Citation

Moffet, Ilana; Kono, Naoko; Rush, Margaret; Russell, Christopher J.; and Hahn, Andrea, "Comparing COVID-19 Variants in Children Hospitalized for Concern of Tracheostomy-associated Infection: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study" (2025). GW Authored Works. Paper 8462.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/8462

Department

Pediatrics