Influence of Type of Viral Upper Respiratory Tract Infection on Rates of Pediatric Orbital Cellulitis
Author: Caroline Vloka
Base Hospital / Institution: University of Colorado
ePoster presentation
Abstract ID: 25-138
Purpose
To evaluate and compare trends of rates of viruses causing upper respiratory tract infections (URI) and how they relate to rates of pediatric orbital cellulitis in Colorado.
Methods
This was a retrospective study of pediatric patients with radiographically confirmed OC from Colorado from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2022. Information regarding rates of infection from COVID-19, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Influenza (Flu), Rhinovirus/Enterovirus (RV/EV), Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), Adenovirus and Human Coronavirus NL63 (HCOV) were obtained from the CDC website for the dates corresponding to our study. Comparisons between rates of viral infections and OC were calculated using Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient with 47 degrees of freedom.
Results
We identified 224 radiographically confirmed cases of OC meeting inclusion criteria. All patients admitted for the treatment of OC from April 2020 to March 2024 were checked for COVID-19 using PCR testing and only 3% of patients (n=4) with OC were found to have COVID-19 co-infection. There was a negative correlation between the trends in pediatric COVID-19 infections and OC admissions (R=-0.335; p=0.019). When examining trends of other viruses causing URI, RSV and Flu had the strongest positive correlation between their trends and those of OC admissions (R=0.5126, p=0.0002 and R=0.6234, p<0.00001 respectively). Adenovirus, HMPV and HCOV had a weaker, though still significant correlation (R=0.400, p=0.004; R=0.303, p=0.036 and R 0.480, p=0.0005 respectively). There was no correlation with OC admission rates and RV/EV infections R=0.124, p=0.395)
Conclusion
Children typically get between six and eight URIs a year. Despite URIs and sinusitis being the most common etiology of pediatric orbital infection, OC is still considered rare disease. Our data shows that there is an inverse correlation between COVID-19 infections and rates of OC and a positive correlation between RSV, Flu, Adenovirus, HMPV and HCOV. More research must be completed to investigate how these viruses affect the milieu of the nasal and sinus mucosa to predispose patients to developing OC
Additional Authors
| First name | Last name | Base Hospital / Institution |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan | Summers | University of Colorado |
| Daniel James | Ozzello | University of Colorado |
| Tiffany | Wu | University of Colorado |
