Pediatric Parapneumonic Effusion and Empyema Cases After Relaxation of COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions in Türkiye

Aim: To compare the frequency, demographic, clinical, radiological and treatment characteristics of pediatric cases with a diagnosis of Parapneumonic Effusion (PPE)/empyema in the winter and spring of 2022-2023 after the strict restrictions of COVID-19 Pandemic lifted up, with the PPE/empyema cases hospitalized in the winter and autumn months of 2021-2022 during the continuation of COVID-19 Pandemic restrictions. Materials and Methods: Pediatric cases with a diagnosis of PPE/empyema in the winter and spring of 2021-2022 (during the restrictions continuation; the controlled normalization period in Turkiye) and winter and spring of 2022-2023 (after the lifting up all restrictions) were included and compared in this study. Demographic, clinical, radiological and treatments of patients were discussed. Results: In the study group, a total of 58 patients with PPE/empyema were included, with 15 in the 2021-2022 group and 43 in the 2022-2023 group. Although the number of PPE/empyema cases were more in 2022-2023 than 2021-2022 group there was no statistically significant difference between the frequencies of PPE/empyema cases (p=0.588). Additionally, there were no statictically significant differences in the demographic, clinical, laboratory and outcomes of patients between the two groups. Conclusion: The number of PPE/empyema cases increased through the end of COVID-19 Pandemic with the ease of health-care restrictions together with immunity debt which children acquired during pandemic lockdown periods. Our study is the first to document the increased PPE/ empyema cases hospitalized in the post-pandemic period from a single center. Multicenter studies with larger numbers of patients are needed.