Most children who developed the rare but severe multisystem inflammation syndrome in children (MIS-C), which occurs weeks after a coronavirus infection, had no or only mild symptoms of COVID-19 when they were initially infected, according to a new study that was allegedly the largest analysis of such cases in children in the US
The study, led by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and published Tuesday in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics, looked at nearly 1,800 cases of MIS-C that occurred between March 2020 and mid-January. CDC has been reported. of this year. The study included children up to 20 years of age, although most were under 15 years of age.
MIS-C is a condition that often causes inflammation of various parts of the body, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes or gastrointestinal organs, according to the CDC, which shows on its website that the state reports cases up to 29 March a total of 3 185 and included 36 deaths. MIS-C can be mistaken for Kawasaki disease, a rare condition that can cause red skin, swelling and heart problems, but the two are not the same. The vast majority of children recover with MIS-C, although some require hospitalization.
The study authors found that the majority of the patients studied – about 75% – did not experience symptoms of COVID-19 when they had a coronavirus infection. When patients later developed MIS-C, usually about two to five weeks later, fever was one of the most common symptoms, the CDC analysis found.
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Abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and red skin rash occurred in at least half of the children affected, while almost one-third had heart inflammation or other heart ailments. These symptoms are least common in children up to 4 years of age, who are also less likely to require intensive care than older children.
The CDC in the study said their findings contribute to existing theories that MIS-C is likely to be a delayed immune response to a COVID-19 infection.
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“In this cross-sectional study of a large group of patients with MIS-C, two peaks that followed COVID-19 peaks at 2 to 5 weeks were identified. The geographical and temporal relationship of MIS-C with the COVID-19 pandemic “suggested that MIS-C was due to delayed immunological responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The clinical manifestations varied according to age and by the presence or absence of prior COVID-19,” according to the study.
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Treatments for MIS-C often include steroids to reduce inflammation. Although some children can get very sick from the condition – for example, one boy from Michigan underwent four amputations of his hands and legs after developing MIS-C, most children who develop it recover.
Experts have stressed that coronavirus vaccines are the best way to prevent COVID-19 infections, with COVID-19 vaccine studies in children currently underway. For example, Pfizer and BioNTech announced late last month that the Phase 3 trial of coronavirus vaccine in adolescents between 12 and 15 years old is safe and 100% effective.
The clinical manifestations of patients with MIS-C vary according to age and presence or absence of the preceding COVID-19. The development of laboratory markers or diagnostic methods to distinguish MIS-C from severe COVID-19 disease and other hyperinflammatory conditions, such as the Kawasaki disease, is critical for early and rapid diagnosis and treatment, “the authors of the study concluded in part. ‘As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads, causing a third peak and more sustained transmission in the United States, physicians should have a high suspicion of diagnosing and treating MIS-C immediately. Practitioners should report patients suspected of having MIS-C to local and state health departments. “
Fox News’ Kayla Rivas and Associated Press contributed to this report.