Background: The pandemic of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to be a major health problem globally. In this study, clinical findings, radiological findings, laboratory findings and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results were evaluated according to age groups in pediatric patients with COVID-19. Methods: In this study, PCR (+) and PCR (-) 278 cases diagnosed with COVID-19 between March 15, 2020 and September 30, 2020 were assessed considering clinical symptoms, radiological and laboratory findings and RT-PCR test results. Results: 43.9% of the cases consisted of RT-PCR (+) and 56.1% of RT-PCR (-) cases. Fever was observed at the rate of 64.7%, cough 53.2%, respiratory distress 12.2%, myalgia 24.5%, diarrhea 12.9%, chest X-ray findings 48.2% and computed tomography findings 43.6%. Diarrhea and cough, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, leukocyte and lymphocyte elevation were determined as significantly higher in younger age group cases, while high myalgia and neutrophilia was observed in older age group children (p <0.05). Fever, high CRP, leukocytosis frequency, high neutrophil, were significantly higher in PCR(-) cases and the frequency of respiratory distress, high lymphocyte and chest computed tomography findings in PCR(+) cases (p <0.05). Conclusion: COVID-19 infection may indicate different nonspecific clinical, laboratory and radiological findings in children according to both adults and pediatric age groups. In addition, the results of the PCR test may give erroneous results in cases due to conditions such as fever, respiratory distress, high CRP, leukocytosis, high neutrophil and CT finding. Keywords: pediatric, COVID-19, RT-PCR

Objective Although acute appendicitis is the most common emergency surgical pathology it is not easy to diagnose in pediatric patients. This study aims to compare the accuracy of Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Appendicitis (RIPASA) and Alvarado scores in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children. Methodology Demographic data, examination findings, leukocyte count, neutrophil percentage, urine analysis and radiology reports of 163 consecutive patients who were underwent surgery for acute appendicitis were recorded. RIPASA and Alvarado scores of patients were calculated prospectively. Cutoff value was >7.5 for RIPASA score , ≥7 for Alvarado score. The accuracy of the diagnosis was confirmed by the histopathology result. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, area under the ROC curve of the RIPASA vs. Alvarado scores were evaluated. Results Negative appendectomy rate was 11.1%. The accuracy rate was 76.1% in the RIPASA score vs. 68.7% in the Alvarado score. The sensitivity and specificity values were 77.9%, 61.1% for RIPASA score vs. 68.2%, 72.2% for Alvarado score, respectively. Positive predictive value was 94.1% and negative predictive value was 25.5% for RIPASA score vs. 95.1%, 22.1%, respectively for Alvarado score. The area under the ROC curve was 0.74 for RIPASA score vs. 0.68 for Alvarado score, with no statistically significant difference between the two scores (p> 0.05). Conclusions RIPASA and Alvarado scores are not superior to each other in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children. Clinical examination, laboratory and radiology were more valuable in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children.