Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2025
Live Imaging and Quantification of Viral Infection in K18 hACE2 Transgenic Mice Using Reporter-Expressing Recombinant SARS-CoV-2
Published on: November 5, 2021
Timely Resolution of SARS-CoV-2-Related Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome in Children
Daniel D Reiff1, Randy Q Cron2
1Division of Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233-1711, USA.
Insights
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) following COVID-19 rapidly improves with prompt treatment. Aggressive intervention leads to quick recovery of cardiac function and lab markers, with minimal long-term issues.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Cardiology
Background:
- Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a severe post-infectious complication of COVID-19.
- It involves hyperinflammation, potentially causing cardiac dysfunction, coronary changes, and organ damage.
- Long-term outcomes data after treatment are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the natural history of MIS-C after treatment.
- To describe the improvement in laboratory markers and cardiac outcomes.
- To stratify patients by disease severity and compare outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal follow-up of a large single-center MIS-C cohort.
- Treatment administered included intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) ± glucocorticoids.
- Patients were analyzed based on disease severity.
Main Results:
- 137 patients were identified with typical demographics.
- Laboratory abnormalities improved rapidly within 1-2 weeks and by 6-8 months post-treatment, irrespective of severity.
- Cardiac abnormalities, including coronary dilatation and systolic dysfunction, resolved within 1-2 months post-hospitalization.
Conclusions:
- MIS-C is a serious COVID-19 sequela.
- Prompt identification and aggressive treatment are crucial for favorable outcomes.
- Effective treatment leads to rapid improvement in laboratory and cardiac parameters with minimal long-term morbidity or mortality.
Abstract:
Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a severe, postinfectious manifestation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the pediatric population. The disease is manifested by hyperinflammation and can result in cardiac dysfunction, coronary changes, and end-organ damage. Adequate timely treatment can prevent poor outcomes in the short term, but long-term data is lacking. Methods: A large single center MIS-C cohort was followed longitudinally after treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) ± glucocorticoids to determine the natural history of the disease and to describe improvement in laboratory markers and cardiac outcomes. Patient were stratified by disease severity and compared. Results: 137 patients were identified with demographics similar to previously described cohorts. Regardless of disease severity, when adequately treated, initial lab abnormalities rapidly improved by the 6-8 month follow-up period, with some resolved in as little as 1-2 weeks. Similarly, cardiac abnormalities improved quickly after treatment; all abnormalities resolved in this cohort by 1-2 months post-hospitalization. Conclusions: Although MIS-C is a serious sequela of COVID-19, when identified quickly and treated aggressively, laboratory abnormalities, coronary dilatation, and systolic dysfunction rapidly improve with minimal long-term morbidity or mortality.
