Children who develop COVID-19-related multisystem inflammatory syndrome, also called MIS-C, begin recovering in the first week of hospital discharge and fully recover normal heart function within …
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Children who develop COVID-19-related multisystem inflammatory syndrome, also called MIS-C, begin recovering in the first week of hospital discharge and fully recover normal heart function within three months, according to a new study.
The findings, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association, suggest children diagnosed with MIS-C can gradually resume playing competitive sports within three months.
"There is limited data at this time about how frequently and how long we should monitor heart function during the recovery state of MIS-C after the child leaves the hospital," study senior author Dr. Anirban Banerjee said in a news release. Banerjee is an attending cardiologist at the Cardiac Center with the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
"Given that MIS-C was identified last year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, treatment protocols have not yet been standardized, and follow-up care varies greatly, which may lead to confusion and anxiety among families of patients and their care team," Banerjee said. "Our research team hoped to provide some guidance and reduce the ambiguity on optimal care approaches, especially as it relates to sports participation."
MIS-C can appear in children four to six weeks after they've been exposed to COVID-19. It can cause inflammation in the heart, lungs, kidneys and gastrointestinal organs. About 80%-85% of MIS-C cases have involved the heart's left ventricle. The syndrome shares some characteristics with Kawasaki disease, a leading cause of acquired heart disease among young children in the U.S., with an average age of onset of 2. MIS-C, however, is associated with more profound inflammation.