In a new study, researchers found that adult patients with current or previous severe COVID-19 can develop a hyperinflammatory syndrome, which resembles multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).
The research was conducted by the CDC COVID-19 Response Team.
The team reported 27 patients with heart, gut, and brain symptoms without severe respiratory illness who concurrently received positive test results for SARS-CoV-2.
The researchers highlight the recognition of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults (MIS-A), which resembles MIS-C.
The patients described had minimal respiratory symptoms, hypoxemia, or radiographic abnormalities.
In case reports describing MIS-A, only eight of 16 patients had any documented respiratory symptoms before the onset of MIS-A.
All 16 patients had evidence of cardiac effects, 13 had gut symptoms on admission, and five had skin problems.
Ten of the patients had positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results at the time of the initial assessment.
Six had negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR results, but four had positive anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody results and two had positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test results between 14 and 37 days before admission.
The team says clinical suspicion and indicated SARS-CoV-2 testing, including antibody testing, might be needed to recognize and treat adults with MIS-A.
Further research is needed to understand the pathogenesis and long-term effects of this condition.
Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
One author of the study is Sapna Bamrah Morris, M.D.
The study is published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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