Paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome: COVID-19 pandemic V1 [COVID-19]
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating cytokine storm biomarkers in children presenting to acute paediatric services (non-intensive care) with paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome during the Covid-19 pandemic. An observational study.
IRAS ID
284329
Contact name
Jo-Anne Johnson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Anglia Ruskin University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
There has been an increase in children presenting to paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) in the UK and France during the COVID-19 pandemic with paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS)/incomplete Kawasaki disease. Recorded features include high fever (5-7 days), high C-reactive protein (CRP), mucositis, rash, severe abdominal pain, myocarditis, coronary aneurysms and myocardial dysfunction (data from London PICU group/University of Paris). Early data suggest many of these children go on to require inotrope therapy.\n\nSome of these children test positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2), the virus responsible for COVID-19. However there is a high false negative rate on PCR testing for COVID-19 (estimated between 2% and 29% [sensitivity 71 – 98%]) and, therefore, more of these children are likely to be SARS-Cov-2 positive.\n\nRaised levels of some inflammatory biomarkers have been reported in these children, particularly related to a possible cytokine storm early in disease presentation. An over-reaction of the body’s immune system is called a cytokine storm; this phenomenon is a complication of respiratory diseases caused by coronaviruses and other non-infectious diseases. Normally only 2% of patients with Kawasaki’s Disease have a cytokine storm. There is also evidence emerging of a cytokine storm in younger adult COVID-19 patients presenting with acute systemic inflammation.\n\nCytokine storms might explain why some people have a severe reaction to COVID-19, while others only experience mild symptoms. \n\nIn children, research in this area has so far focussed on PICU admissions and not patients presenting with less severe symptoms to acute paediatric services (non-PICU).\n\nThis observational study will look at whether children presenting to the non-PICU setting with features of PIMS during the COVID-19 pandemic have a raised level of certain biomarkers. It may be these biomarkers could be used to predict which of these children will go onto develop severe disease requiring PICU admission.
REC name
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REC reference
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