A Comparison of Clinical Findings and Laboratory Test Results Between Hospitalized Children with COVID-19 and Influenza

Aim:It can be challenging to distinguish between influenza and coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) during the influenza season. Therefore, we aimed to compare the clinical symptoms, laboratory findings, and outcomes of these two diseases in children.Materials and Methods:Thirty-two children with COVID-19 and 22 children with influenza who were hospitalized in our clinic were included in this study. The demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings of these patients were retrospectively reviewed.Results:The median age of patients with influenza and COVID-19 was 1.4 and 15.3 years, respectively. Fever (77.3% vs 46.9%, p=0.02), nasal obstruction (27.3% vs 0%, p=0.003), wheezing (54.5% vs 3.1%, p