Journal of Preventive Medicine

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Objective The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease, whose effects has been less investigated on children in Iran. This study aims to investigate the findings of lung CT scan and the factors affecting it in children with COVID-19 in Bandar Abbas, Iran. 
Methods This descriptive/analytical study was conducted on 73 children with COVID-19 confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test hospitalized in Children's Hospital in Bandar Abbas city in 2020. Their age and sex were extracted from their medical records and the CT scan images, ground-glass opacities, lymphadenopathy, pleural effusion, collapse, peribronchial cuffing, and the involved side of lung were examined. Data were analyzed in SPSS software using chi-square test, Fisher's exact test and independent t test.
Results Lung involvement was observed in 31.5% of children, of whom 60.9% had bilateral involvement. The most common finding was the ground-glass opacity (60.9%). The percentage of ground-glass opacities was significantly higher in girls than in boys (P=0.003). The age of children with pleural effusion was significantly higher than that of children without pleural effusion (P=0.034). Regarding other findings of CT scan, no significant relationship was observed with age, sex and side of lung involvement.
Conclusion There is lung involvement in about one third of children with COVID-19 in Bandar Abbas city. To predict the severity of the disease and prevent pulmonary complications, affected children should undergo a CT scan during hospitalization.