Clinical and Laboratory Profile of Pediatric COVID-19 Cases: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study at the Children Welfare Teaching Hospital, Baghdad

Oras Abd Al-Rahman Mankhi, Emergency Medicine, Al-Shaheed Mohammed Baqer Al-Hakim HospitalFollow
Hassanien Habeeb Ghali, College of Medicine, University of BaghdadFollow

Article Type

Research Paper

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to pose a global health challenge. Although children are generally less severely affected than adults, severe outcomes and mortality continue to be reported, particularly in low-resource settings. paediatric cases may present with a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations. Understanding the clinical and laboratory characteristics of pediatric COVID-19 in Iraq is essential for improving diagnosis, management, and outcomes.Objective: To describe the demographic, clinical, laboratory and radiological characteristics of pediatric COVID-19 patients admitted to the Children Welfare Teaching Hospital (CWTH), Baghdad, and to identify factors associated with disease severity.Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 230 children aged 1 month to 14 years with RT-PCR–confirmed COVID-19 admitted to the Children Welfare Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, between March 2020 and June 2021. Data were extracted from hospital records. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and logistic regression. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: The mean age was 7.1 ± 3.8 years, and 56.1% were males. Fever (84%), cough (68%), and shortness of breath (42%) were the most common symptoms. Laboratory abnormalities included lymphopenia (31%), elevated CRP (72%), and abnormal chest X-ray findings (48%). Most children had mild to moderate disease (88%), while 12% developed severe or critical illness requiring oxygen therapy. Overall mortality was 3.5% (n = 8) (95% CI: 1.5–6.8). Severe disease was significantly associated with lymphopenia (p=0.02), elevated CRP (p=0.01), and abnormal radiological findings (p=0.03).Conclusion: Pediatric COVID-19 in Iraq generally presents with mild to moderate clinical manifestations; however, a subset of patients develops severe disease. Early recognition, continuous monitoring of laboratory markers, and prompt supportive care are essential. Radiological assessment aids in identifying high-risk patients.

Recommended Citation

Mankhi, Oras Abd Al-Rahman and Ghali, Hassanien Habeeb (2026) "Clinical and Laboratory Profile of Pediatric COVID-19 Cases: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study at the Children Welfare Teaching Hospital, Baghdad," Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal: Vol. 25 : Iss. 3 , Article 9.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.52573/ipmj.2026.165495