Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity: patients with childhood-onset rheumatic diseases versus healthy children.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to find out the asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) seroprevalence among pediatric patients with rheumatic diseases and healthy children and to compare them with each other. METHODS: Patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (jSLE) and healthy children as healthy control (HC) group who remained asymptomatic during the pandemic are examined by ELISA immunoglobulin (Ig) A and IgG tests in this cross-sectional study. RESULTS: Overall, 149 subjects (90 females) were included in the study. While IgA was positive in 15 subjects (10%) (HC: 8, jSLE: 3, FMF: 2, JIA: 2; p = 0.196), IgG was positive in 14 subjects (9.4%) (HC: 7, JIA: 5, FMF: 1, jSLE: 1; p = 0.156). Nineteen subjects (12.75%) were IgA or IgG positive (HC: 8, JIA: 5, jSLE: 3, FMF: 3; p = 0.644). Although not significant, seropositivity was more often in HC group. Both IgA and IgG positivity were not found to be related to age, sex, underlying rheumatic diseases, and received treatments of the patients. CONCLUSION: We revealed that patients with childhood-onset rheumatic diseases, even if they receive immunosuppressive medication such as biologic or conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, might have an asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, similarly to their healthy peers. Key points • Although it has been already known that children are most likely to have asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, there is a lack of data on the disease course of children with rheumatic disease. • There was no significant difference regarding the asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity rates between healthy children and the patients with childhood-onset rheumatic diseases. • Patients with childhood-onset rheumatic diseases, even if they receive immunosuppressive medication, might have asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, similarly to their healthy peers.

Clinical features and outcomes of 76 patients with COVID-19-related multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children.

OBJECTIVES: Multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a less understood and a rare complication of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Given the scarce data regarding this novel disease, we aimed to describe the clinical features and outcomes of our patients with MIS-C and to evaluate the associated factors for the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission. METHODS: The MIS-C patients under 18 years old diagnosed and treated in three referral centers between July 2020 and March 2021 were included. Data of the patients were retrospectively obtained from their medical records. RESULTS: Overall, 76 subjects (24 females) with a mean age of 8.17 ± 4.42 years were enrolled. Twenty-seven (35.5%) patients were admitted to the PICUs. The two most common systemic involvement patterns were cardiac and gastrointestinal. There was only one lethal outcome in a patient with underlying acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Those with higher procalcitonin levels at admission were found to stay longer in the hospital (r = 0.254, p = 0.027). The risk of PICU admission increased with age (aOR: 1.277; 95% CI: 1.089-1.498; p = 0.003) and with decreased initial serum albumin levels (aOR: 0.105; 95% CI: 0.029-0.378; p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Although there is a wide clinical variability among the patients with MIS-C, we suggest that those with older age and lower initial serum albumin levels merit close monitoring due to their higher risk for PICU admission. Key Points • Although there is a wide variability regarding the management process among clinicians, MIS-C is a rare, severe, less understood complication of COVID-19 that may cause rapid clinical deterioration in the patients. • Clinicians should be aware of this condition in children with persistent fever and a family history of COVID-19. • Older age and low serum albumin levels are the independent predictors for the pediatric intensive care unit admission among MIS-C patients.

Management of childhood-onset autoinflammatory diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Concerns regarding the comorbidity as a significant risk factor for Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19), gave rise to an urgent need for studies evaluating patients with chronic conditions such as autoinflammatory diseases (AIDs). We prepared a web-based survey investigating the clinical findings and contact histories among pediatric patients with AIDs. Confirmed COVID-19 cases, patients with contact history and those with symptoms which were highly suggestive of COVID-19 were called via phone or recruited to a video or face to face appointment. Data of AIDs were obtained from their medical records, retrospectively. Laboratory and screening findings were confirmed by our national health registry website. There were 404 patients (217 female) eligible for the enrollment. During pandemic, 375 (93%) were on colchicine treatment and 48 (11.8%) were receiving biologic treatment. Twenty-four out of 404 patients were admitted to hospital due to COVID-19 suspicion. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2) was identified through rhinopharyngeal swabs in seven patients, six of whom were only on colchicine treatment. Only one patient with no finding of any severe respiratory complications was hospitalized. All of seven patients recovered completely. Among patients on biologic drugs, neither a symptom nor a positive polymerase chain reaction test for COVID 19 was detected. In conclusion, pediatric patients with AIDs, those receiving biologic treatment and/or colchicine, may not be at increased risk for neither being infected nor the severe disease course.