Baseline characteristics and symptoms in Alberta children tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection because of a high-risk exposure
| Variable | No. (%) in patients with positive SARS-CoV-2 swab* n = 1515 | No. (%) in patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 swab* n = 476 | Unadjusted OR (95% CI) | Unadjusted positive LR for SARS-CoV-2 infection (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographic characteristic | ||||
| Age, yr; mean ± SD | 9.1 ± 5.2 | 8.5 ± 5.3 | NA | NA |
| Age 0–4 yr | 361 (23.8) | 143 (30.0) | 0.73 (0.58–0.92) | 0.79 (0.67–0.93) |
| Age 5–12 yr | 672 (44.4) | 199 (41.8) | 1.11 (0.90–1.37) | 1.06 (0.94–1.20) |
| Age 13–17 yr | 482 (31.8) | 134 (28.2) | 1.19 (0.95–1.49) | 1.13 (0.96–1.33) |
| Male sex | 755 (49.8) | 254 (53.4) | 0.87 (0.71–1.07) | 0.93 (0.85–1.03) |
| Symptom | ||||
| Anosmia/ageusia | 89 (5.9) | 5 (1.1) | 5.88 (2.37–14.56) | 5.59 (2.29–13.69) |
| Nausea/vomiting | 41 (2.7) | Suppressed as count < 5 | 4.39 (1.35–14.23) | 4.29 (1.34–13.80) |
| Headache | 220 (14.5) | 30 (6.3) | 2.53 (1.70–3.75) | 2.30 (1.60–3.33) |
| Decreased appetite/anorexia | 44 (2.9) | 10 (2.1) | 1.39 (0.70–2.79) | 1.38 (0.70–2.73) |
| Sneezing | 93 (6.1) | 18 (3.8) | 1.66 (0.99–2.79) | 1.62 (0.99–2.66) |
| Fever or feverish chills | 326 (21.5) | 72 (15.1) | 1.54 (1.16–2.03) | 1.42 (1.13–1.80) |
| Muscle/joint pain (myalgia, arthralgia, muscular or joint pain) | 30 (2.0) | 8 (1.7) | 1.18 (0.54–2.60) | 1.18 (0.54–2.55) |
| Malaise | 109 (7.2) | 25 (5.3) | 1.40 (0.89–2.19) | 1.37 (0.90–2.09) |
| Nasal congestion | 159 (10.5) | 46 (9.7) | 1.10 (0.78–1.55) | 1.09 (0.80–1.48) |
| Fatigue | 20 (1.3) | 6 (1.3) | 1.05 (0.42–2.62) | 1.05 (0.42–2.59) |
| Difficulty breathing/dyspnea | 23 (1.5) | 6 (1.3) | 1.21 (0.49–2.98) | 1.20 (0.49–2.94) |
| Sore throat | 181 (11.9) | 67 (14.1) | 0.83 (0.61–1.12) | 0.85 (0.65–1.10) |
| Diarrhea | 36 (2.4) | 13 (2.7) | 0.87 (0.46–1.65) | 0.87 (0.47–1.63) |
| Cough | 323 (21.3) | 121 (25.4) | 0.80 (0.63–1.01) | 0.84 (0.70–1.01) |
| Rhinorrhea | 265 (17.5) | 105 (22.1) | 0.75 (0.58–0.97) | 0.79 (0.65–0.97) |
| Chest pain | 9 (0.6) | Suppressed as count < 5 | NA | NA |
| Conjunctivitis | 8 (0.5) | Suppressed as count < 5 | NA | NA |
| Asymptomatic | 638 (42.1) | 211 (44.3) | 0.91 (0.74–1.12) | 0.95 (0.85–1.07) |
Note: CI = confidence interval, LR = likelihood ratio, NA = not applicable, OR = odds ratio, SARS-CoV-2 = severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SD = standard deviation.
↵* Unless specified otherwise.