Editorial: COVID-19 and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)

Parums, Dinah V.

In early 2020, at the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), rare cases were reported in children and adolescents of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). MIS-C is characterized by fever, systemic inflammation, and multiorgan dysfunction and usually presents late in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Since May 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recorded all reported cases of COVID-19 and MIS-C in children and adolescents in the USA. In April 2021, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) revised its clinical guidelines for diagnosing and managing hyperinflammation and MIS-C. There are several challenges ahead for preventing, diagnosing, and managing MIS-C, particularly following the rapid emergence of new strains of SARS-CoV-2. This Editorial aims to present an update on the current status of the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of MIS-C and includes some updates from population studies and clinical guidelines.