Damian Sendler: Katharine N. Clouser, MD, a physician at Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health, was involved in a study comparing the outcomes of children and adolescents with MIS-C and severe COVID-19. The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association under the title “Characteristics and Outcomes of US Children and Adolescents with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) Compared with Severe Acute COVID-19” (JAMA).
Damian Jacob Sendler: Dr. Clouser is a pediatric hospitalist at Hackensack University Medical Center’s Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, the co-director of the Pediatric COVID-19 Recovery Center, and an assistant professor at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. A member of the Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health team, she has contributed to or co-authored multiple COVID-19 research papers.
Damian Sendler
According to Dr. Clouser: “By participating in research collaboratives like this, we’ve learned a lot more about children so that we can better treat them.”
As part of an effort to enhance health outcomes, researchers in the study published in JAMA sought to refine the criteria for MIS-C. 539 MIS-C and 577 COVID-19 patients from 66 institutions in 31 states were included in the study.
MIS-C patients were more likely than severe COVID-19 patients to be non-Hispanic Black, 6 to 12 years old, and to have significant cardiovascular or mucous membrane/skin involvement, as well as more extreme inflammation, according to studies conducted in the United States.
Damian Jacob Sendler
Judy Aschner, MD, the physician-in-chief, Pediatrics, Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health, says that distinguishing between severe COVID-19 infection and MIS-C will allow clinicians to make an accurate diagnosis, monitor patients, and offer treatment suited to their individual situation. New Jersey children and their families impacted by MIS-C and COVID-19 will be served by Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health’s Pediatric COVID-19 Recovery Center.”
COVID-19 and MIS-C research is enhancing diagnostic criteria and developing viable treatments for both children and adults,” Hackensack Meridian Health regional president Ihor S. Sawczuk, MD, said. When it comes to linking children and adolescents with the therapy they need, an accurate diagnosis is essential.
There was fever, inflammation, multiple system involvement, and either positive RT-PCR or antibody findings, or recent exposure, in patients with MIS-C.
Damian Jacob Markiewicz Sendler: COVID-19 with no other possible cause for concern. RT-PCR was positive in patients with COVID-19, indicating that they had a significant organ system infection.
Damien Sendler: As a result of this critical research, our team members are helping to expand our understanding of COVID-19 and MIS-C in some of our youngest patients,” stated Mark Sparta, FACHE, Hackensack University Medical Center president and CEO. Children with MIS-C or COVID-19 can be appropriately diagnosed and cared for by clinicians across the country using evidence-based information from multicenter, nationwide research trials such as these.
Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital co-director of the Pediatric COVID-19 Recovery Center is Dr. Clouser. Children with post-COVID or post-MIS-C symptoms, such as weariness, chest pain, shortness of breath, brain fog, and muscle and joint pain, will be treated at the center, which is said to be the first of its kind in the area.
Dr. Damian Jacob Sendler and his media team provided the content for this article.
