Ela Cem1, Elif Kıymet1, Elif Böncüoğlu1, Şahika Şahinkaya1, Miray Yılmaz Çelebi1, Mustafa Gülderen1, Aybüke Akaslan Kara1, Timur Meşe2, Hasan Ağin3, Nuri Bayram1, İlker Devrim1

1Department of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Health Sciences, Dr. Behçet Uz Pediatric Diseases and Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Türkiye
2Department of Paediatric Cardiology Diseases, University of Health Sciences, Dr. Behçet Uz Pediatric Diseases and Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Türkiye
3Department of Paediatric Intensive Care, University of Health Sciences, Dr. Behçet Uz Pediatric Diseases and Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Türkiye

Keywords: Children, MIS-C, multisystem inflammatory syndrome, rehospitalization.

Abstract

Objectives: There is no clear information in the literature about causes of reactivation of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) or indications for readmissions for MIS-C after discharge; as a result, the conditions that may develop after infection in children with MIS-C were discussed, and the reasons for hospitalization were screened.

Patients and methods: This single-center retrospective study was conducted with 95 patients (65 males, 30 females; mean age: 92.8±55.5 months; range, 5 to 17 months) between November 11, 2020, and December 30, 2021. Children who were rehospitalized in the study center after their discharge with the diagnosis of MIS-C were included in the study, and the indications for readmissions were evaluated.

Results: During the study period, six (6.3%) patients (4 males, 2 females; median age: 114.5 months [interquartile range: 122 months]) had to be rehospitalized. Four of these patients had an underlying disease, while the other two were previously healthy children. Fever was the most common reason for readmissions in half of the patients, while the remaining patients were readmitted with the indications of myocarditis, pneumonia, and posttraumatic pain syndrome.

Conclusion: Although no evidence for the reactivation of MIS-C was detected in patients in the literature, it should also be emphasized that close follow-up of these patients is a must, considering possible cardiac complications.

Citation: Cem E, Kıymet E, Böncüoğlu E, Şahinkaya Ş, Yılmaz Çelebi M, Gülderen M, et al. Readmission reasons of pediatric patients diagnosed with multisystem inflammatory syndrome after discharge. Arch Rheumatol 2023;38(2):315-321. doi: 10.46497/ArchRheumatol.2023.9605.

Ethics Committee Approval

The study protocol was approved by the Dr. Behçet Uz Children’s Training and Research Hospital Ethical Committee (decision: 2021, no: 17-11). The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Author Contributions

Were responsible for the idea/concept, design and analysis, and interpretation: E.C., İ.D., N.B.; Were responsible for data collection and processing: E.C., E.K., E.B., Ş.Ş., M.Y.Ç., M.G., A.A.K., T.M., H.A.; Was responsible for literature review, writing the article, critical review, references and funding, materials, and others: E.C.; Were responsible for control/ supervision: İ.D., N.B.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

Financial Disclosure

The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.

Data Sharing Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.