Cardiac dysfunction in children weeks after recovery from inflammatory syndrome after COVID-19 | Country / World

“The treatment has helped and improved most patients,” said Singh, a professor of pediatrics at Central Michigan University. However, he said that COVID-19 and MIS-C are so new that ongoing research is needed to better understand the potential for long-term complications.

An observational preprint study published online in May in the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography found that MIS-C was admitted to Detroit Hospital from March to January 2020, causing multiple organs, including the heart. We examined 54 children who were treated. And the blood vessels become inflamed. It can lead to organ failure and damage.

“We have clearly found that most of them affect the heart,” Singh said. “Functions are affected, valves leak and inflame, fluid builds up around the heart, impairing heart function. Also, people who are in shock and need life support. There were also. In most cases, half needed mechanical treatment. Ventilators, respiratory organs, heart-supporting drugs … and many others to the system for them to survive and succeed. Support.

“Fortunately, they all did very well and went home, so I’m very happy. When we studied these kids and followed them for about 5-6 months (and then), Approximately 19% to 20% have been found to have some involvement in the heart, a clinically unclear function, but by echocardiography. “

He said that children with MIS-C should not resume sports or athletic activity without the permission of a pediatric cardiologist first. This is in line with the guidance of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“This is because the heart is involved and I don’t want to do or participate in sports or intense physical activity within the first 3-6 months whenever myocardium is inflamed. “Heart muscles,” said Shin. “I want my heart to recover completely. Otherwise, participating in intense physical activity can damage my heart.”

In addition, this study suggests that echocardiography can be used to identify children who should be treated most aggressively to prevent heart damage when hospitalized with MIS-C.

“Because COVID-19 is a new or new infection, I wasn’t sure if these children would start when they developed MIS-C … how aggressively and with what drugs Or”

Studies show that children with markedly impaired cardiac function when admitted to MIS-C are more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit and likely to require ventilator support for survival. Become. However, early administration of drugs that regulate the immune system gave better results, Singh said.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, 123 cases of MIS-C have been identified in Michigan, with less than five deaths. Nationally, the CDC reports that 3,742 children were affected by MIS-C and 35 died from MIS-C.

According to Michigan data, about 70% of Michigan children diagnosed with MIS-C were ill enough to require hospitalization in the intensive care unit. Some of them required a heart-lung machine known as Extracorporeal Oxygenation (ECMO).

Most children infected with COVID-19 do not become severely ill, hospitalized, or die. According to Singh, it’s clear why some children develop MIS-C and some do not.

“We don’t have the exact etiology of it, but there are certain common factors we’ve noticed-we call it related, not cause and effect,” Singh said. “Many of these children have comorbidities such as asthma and obesity. Unfortunately, most of these children are African-American, which also reflects the population of Detroit. But, in fact, no one had heart problems before MIS-C or MIS-C. Before being exposed to COVID-19. “

Symptoms of MIS-C can appear after a child is infected with COVID-19 or 4-6 weeks after contact with a person infected with the virus, fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain. , Rash, redness of the eyes, etc. I feel extra tired.

Singh said that children over the age of 12 who are currently eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine should be vaccinated to prevent long-term complications of COVID-19 and the virus, as well as to prevent MIS-C. He said he needed to receive it. And if vaccines for younger children were approved later this year, they should also be vaccinated, he said.

“If you see a child suffering from MIS-C, don’t hesitate to recommend a vaccine,” Singh said.

(c) 2021 Detroit Free Press

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.