Thyroiditis and COVID-19: focus on pediatric age. A narrative review

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Infectious Diseases
• Immunology

Background:

• Growing concern over SARS-CoV-2 infection's potential link to autoimmune diseases.
• The COVID-19 pandemic's impact on pediatric thyroid health requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric thyroid diseases.
• To investigate the association between SARS-CoV-2 and autoimmune/post-infective thyroiditis.

Main Methods:

• Narrative review of pediatric cases in medical literature.
• Focused on Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (HT), Grave's Disease (GD), and Sub-Acute Thyroiditis (SAT).
• Included review of Non-thyroidal Illness Syndrome (NTIS) and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C).

Main Results:

• No conclusive evidence links SARS-CoV-2 to increased autoimmune thyroiditis in children.
• Sub-Acute Thyroiditis (SAT) may be a mild complication of SARS-CoV-2, typically resolving without treatment.
• NTIS can be associated with inflammatory complications like MIS-C and may indicate severe disease.

Conclusions:

• Limited evidence necessitates further prospective longitudinal studies.
• Clarify the relationship between COVID-19 and pediatric thyroid disease.
• Investigate potential long-term consequences of SARS-CoV-2 on thyroid health in children and adolescents.