The multi-system inflammation syndrome (PIMS or MIS-C), is a multisystemic inflammation that would manifest after having contracted the corona virus, that is, it is postinflammationcontagious.
The warning was issued in European countries and the United States, where cases of PIMS occurred in school-age children four to six weeks after the peak of infection. coronavirus (COVID-19Several cases have also been identified in Chile since the start of the pandemic.
It is an extremely rare syndrome, in fact it affects less than 0.2% of children exposed to the SARS Co-V virus2. Evolution may be severe, but response to therapy is generally good. Lethality is also low, less is estimatedr 0.01% of children have this syndrome and in the majority it evolves without consequences. The call is therefore not to be alarmed, but to be alert to the symptoms in order to treat it early, because in this way the prognosis is very good.Says Dr. Cecilia Poli, pediatric immunologist and rheumatologist at the Alemana Clinic and researcher at the Universidad del Desarrollo.
Symptoms of PIMS
It is a disease with a very wide range of symptoms, “It’s inflammation caused by having the virus in the past.”explains the expert.
The most common symptoms are fever and gastrointestinal problems. In some cases, the symptoms resemble Kawasaki disease, which also affects the immune system. Symptoms of PIMS include:
- Prolonged fever
- Rash on the skin (or red spots)
- Red eyes
- red mouth
- Berry tongue
- Edema in the hands and feet
- Flaking fingers and toes
- Malaise in general
- Diarrhea
- Vomit
- Stomach ache
- Neurological symptoms (including headache, confusion)
In children with PIMS, there are changes in blood tests that indicate a inflammation very marked. In the acute phase there may be cardiac complications such as pericardial effusion or coronary dilation and shock. “Therefore, they need cardiological monitoring, both in the acute illness and later, serially, to make sure that there are no cardiac complications or, if any, that are getting worse,” warns the physician.
Treatment consists primarily of supportive therapy, which usually requires treatment in intensive care units; gamma globulin and corticosteroids to control excessive inflammation. “With the timely application of these therapies, the prognosis of these patients is generally very good,” says the doctor.
The doctor warns that “generally heart changes (myocarditis) are transient and respond to these treatments and intensive treatment.”
The importance of consulting on time
When the child was infected with coronavirus or was in close contact with someone who had it, you should be alert for the symptoms four to six weeks later to have an early consultation. “It is very necessary to run tests to see if there is any systemic inflammatory involvement and to treat them appropriately with the support everyone needs”, the specialist says.
Patients may need treatment or observation in the ICU, in this line it has been seen that about 70 to 80% of patients need it, but “as diagnosis and treatment are made earlier, these figures may decrease “, concludes.