Factors affecting disease severity of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome that occurs after SARS-Cov-2 infection with fever, cardiogenic shock and hyperinflammation in children, can be life threatening. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effects of the complaint and duration at diagnosis on the severity of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Materials and methods: The medical records of 99 pediatric patients, who were diagnosed multisystem inflammatory syndrome between September 2020 and August 2021 according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, were evaluated retrospectively. Demographic features, initial findings, and admission time of patients were noted. Patients were categorized according to intensive care necessity. Results: The median age of the patients was 10 (2-18) and 62 (62.6%) of patients were male. The median duration before admission was 4 (1-10) days. All patients has fever, 81.8% had gastrointestinal and 75.8% had cardiovascular involvement at admission. The patients (56.6%) who were accepted as severe and moderate MIS-C required intensive care. Prolonged fever, delayed admission, cardiovascular involvement, high inflammatory markers, lymphopenia and thrombocytopenia were found to key parameters determining the need for intensive care. Conclusion: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children is a new disease characterized by fever, signs of inflammation and organ dysfunction associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Delayed admission, high cardiac and inflammatory markers at diagnosis increase the need for intensive care. © 2022, Pamukkale University. All rights reserved.