Paediatric hospitalisations due to COVID-19 during the first SARS-CoV-2 omicron (B.1.1.529) variant wave in South Africa: a multicentre observational study

  1. Jeané Cloete
  2. Annelet Kruger
  3. Maureen Masha
  4. Nicolette M du Plessis
  5. Dini Mawela
  6. Mphailele Tshukudu
  7. Tabea Manyane
  8. Lekwetji Komane
  9. Marietjie Venter
  10. Waasila Jassat
  11. Ameena Goga
  12. Ute Feucht

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Abstract

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  1. Version published to 10.1016/s2352-4642(22)00027-x
  2. ScreenIT

    SciScore for 10.1101/2021.12.21.21268108: (What is this?)

    Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.

    Table 1: Rigor

    EthicsIRB: The Tshwane COVID-19 research study received permission from Ethics Committees of both Health Sciences Faculties in Tshwane (University of Pretoria Reference Number 822/2020; Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University Reference Number SMUREC/M/54/2021:IR), together with the Tshwane District Research Committee.
    Sex as a biological variablenot detected.
    Randomizationnot detected.
    Blindingnot detected.
    Power Analysisnot detected.

    Table 2: Resources

    No key resources detected.

    Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).

    Results from LimitationRecognizer: We detected the following sentences addressing limitations in the study:
    Our analysis had several limitations: we used routinely collected datasets that have a lag in reporting and some incompleteness; additionally, we could not verify COVID-19 vaccination status - all were based on self-report, and this data element was not well captured in clinical notes. However, our paper has several strengths including that multiple data sources, including clinical data, were used to corroborate information, from a multi-disciplinary research team including clinicians, district-level health officials, epidemiologists and laboratory-based scientists. Although our initial experiences in this fourth wave do not suggest that there is increased severity of COVID-19 disease amongst hospitalized children, infections and hospitalisations will be monitored in the district and updates provided. To date, the data have been reassuring.

    Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.

    Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.

    Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.

    Results from rtransparent:
    • Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • No protocol registration statement was detected.

    Results from scite Reference Check: We found no unreliable references.

    About SciScore

    SciScore is an automated tool that is designed to assist expert reviewers by finding and presenting formulaic information scattered throughout a paper in a standard, easy to digest format. SciScore checks for the presence and correctness of RRIDs (research resource identifiers), and for rigor criteria such as sex and investigator blinding. For details on the theoretical underpinning of rigor criteria and the tools shown here, including references cited, please follow this link.

  3. Version published to 10.1101/2021.12.21.21268108v1 on medRxiv