Clinical and epidemiological features and severity markers in children admitted with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MISC) in a tertiary care center in the United Arab Emirates

Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MISC) is a phenomenon that appeared in children infected with or exposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The typical onset of MISC is 4−6 weeks following SARS-CoV-2 infection and is formulated to be due to an immune response. Methods: Our study retrospectively analyzed data from a tertiary center in United Arab Emirates of MISC patients who were admitted to either general pediatric wards or pediatric intensive care (PICU) or who came exclusively for follow-up (post-PICU admission) from May 2020 to August 2021. Results: The total sample size was 50 patients, and the study included a comparison of MISC-PICU admissions with MISC-non-PICU admissions. The MISC-PICU sample size was 18 patients, 50% females, with mean age of 8.3 years all were previously healthy. MISC-PICU patients had deranged blood counts with a lower hemoglobin count, a more pronounced lymphopenia and thrombocytopenia along with hypoalbuminemia. MISC-PICU patients presented with relatively higher inflammatory markers: C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, ferritin, and d-dimer. Immunological studies were significantly higher for interleukin-6 levels in PICU patients. On echocardiography, higher myocardial dysfunction was more notable in MISC-PICU patients. Likewise, MISC-PICU patients were provided with more extensive therapy. As part of our study course, we reevaluated our MISC-PICU patients twice, once at 48 h post-PICU admission and again 4−6 weeks after discharge from the hospital. No deaths have been recorded in the cohort. Conclusion: This study evaluated risk factors of MISC and potential severity features. Follow-up of patients on discharge showed improvement across all domains.