Article Text
Abstract
Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, clinicians have been challenged with a wide spectrum of disease severity. One of the serious complications associated with the virus is multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). It is characterised by inflammation leading to organ damage, in the setting of positive SARS-CoV-2 infection. MIS-C is thought to be a postviral reaction where most children are negative on PCR testing but are positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently defined the same phenomenon occurring in adults as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults (MIS-A) and emphasised on the use of antibody testing in this population. Here we describe an adult woman with an exposure to SARS-CoV-2 who presented with unexplained organ failure and shock. Positive antibody testing was the only clue to the diagnosis of MIS-A. We stress the importance of SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection in order to identify these cases.
- COVID-19
- medical management
This article is made freely available for use in accordance with BMJ’s website terms and conditions for the duration of the covid-19 pandemic or until otherwise determined by BMJ. You may use, download and print the article for any lawful, non-commercial purpose (including text and data mining) provided that all copyright notices and trade marks are retained.
https://bmj.com/coronavirus/usageStatistics from Altmetric.com
Footnotes
Contributors The report was supervised and reviewed by IB. The patient was under the care of MV and PW. The report was written by MV and PW.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests None declared.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.