Browsing by Author "Wellnitz, Kari"
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Item Changes in Distribution of Severe Neurologic Involvement in US Pediatric Inpatients With COVID-19 or Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children in 2021 vs 2020(American Medical Association, 2023) LaRovere, Kerri L.; Poussaint, Tina Y.; Young, Cameron C.; Newhams, Margaret M.; Kucukak, Suden; Irby, Katherine; Kong, Michele; Schwartz, Stephanie P.; Walker, Tracie C.; Bembea, Melania M.; Wellnitz, Kari; Havlin, Kevin M.; Cvijanovich, Natalie Z.; Hall, Mark W.; Fitzgerald, Julie C.; Schuster, Jennifer E.; Hobbs, Charlotte V.; Halasa, Natasha B.; Singh, Aalok R.; Mack, Elizabeth H.; Bradford, Tamara T.; Gertz, Shira J.; Schwarz, Adam J.; Typpo, Katri V.; Loftis, Laura L.; Giuliano, John S., Jr.; Horwitz, Steven M.; Biagas, Katherine V.; Clouser, Katharine N.; Rowan, Courtney M.; Maddux, Aline B.; Soma, Vijaya L.; Babbitt, Christopher J.; Aguiar, Cassyanne L.; Kolmar, Amanda R.; Heidemann, Sabrina M.; Harvey, Helen; Zambrano, Laura D.; Campbell, Angela P.; Randolph, Adrienne G.; Overcoming COVID-19 Investigators; Pediatrics, School of MedicineImportance: In 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, neurologic involvement was common in children and adolescents hospitalized in the United States for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-related complications. Objective: To provide an update on the spectrum of SARS-CoV-2-related neurologic involvement among children and adolescents in 2021. Design, setting, and participants: Case series investigation of patients reported to public health surveillance hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2-related illness between December 15, 2020, and December 31, 2021, in 55 US hospitals in 31 states with follow-up at hospital discharge. A total of 2253 patients were enrolled during the investigation period. Patients suspected of having multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) who did not meet criteria (n = 85) were excluded. Patients (<21 years) with positive SARS-CoV-2 test results (reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and/or antibody) meeting criteria for MIS-C or acute COVID-19 were included in the analysis. Exposure: SARS-CoV-2 infection. Main outcomes and measures: Patients with neurologic involvement had acute neurologic signs, symptoms, or diseases on presentation or during hospitalization. Life-threatening neurologic involvement was adjudicated by experts based on clinical and/or neuroradiological features. Type and severity of neurologic involvement, laboratory and imaging data, vaccination status, and hospital discharge outcomes (death or survival with new neurologic deficits). Results: Of 2168 patients included (58% male; median age, 10.3 years), 1435 (66%) met criteria for MIS-C, and 476 (22%) had documented neurologic involvement. Patients with neurologic involvement vs without were older (median age, 12 vs 10 years) and more frequently had underlying neurologic disorders (107 of 476 [22%] vs 240 of 1692 [14%]). Among those with neurologic involvement, 42 (9%) developed acute SARS-CoV-2-related life-threatening conditions, including central nervous system infection/demyelination (n = 23; 15 with possible/confirmed encephalitis, 6 meningitis, 1 transverse myelitis, 1 nonhemorrhagic leukoencephalopathy), stroke (n = 11), severe encephalopathy (n = 5), acute fulminant cerebral edema (n = 2), and Guillain-Barré syndrome (n = 1). Ten of 42 (24%) survived with new neurologic deficits at discharge and 8 (19%) died. Among patients with life-threatening neurologic conditions, 15 of 16 vaccine-eligible patients (94%) were unvaccinated. Conclusions and relevance: SARS-CoV-2-related neurologic involvement persisted in US children and adolescents hospitalized for COVID-19 or MIS-C in 2021 and was again mostly transient. Central nervous system infection/demyelination accounted for a higher proportion of life-threatening conditions, and most vaccine-eligible patients were unvaccinated. COVID-19 vaccination may prevent some SARS-CoV-2-related neurologic complications and merits further study.Item Characteristics and Outcomes of US Children and Adolescents With Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) Compared With Severe Acute COVID-19(AMA, 2021-02) Feldstein, Leora R.; Tenforde, Mark W.; Friedman, Kevin G.; Newhams, Margaret; Rose, Erica Billig; Dapul, Heda; Soma, Vijaya L.; Maddux, Aline B.; Mourani, Peter M.; Bowens, Cindy; Maamari, Mia; Hall, Mark W.; Riggs, Becky J.; Giuliano, John S.; Singh, Aalok R.; Li, Simon; Kong, Michele; Schuster, Jennifer E.; McLaughlin, Gwenn E.; Schwartz, Stephanie P.; Walker, Tracie C.; Loftis, Laura L.; Hobbs, Charlotte V.; Halasa, Natasha B.; Doymaz, Sule; Babbitt, Christopher J.; Hume, Janet R.; Gertz, Shira J.; Irby, Katherine; Clouser, Katharine N.; Cvijanovich, Natalie Z.; Bradford, Tamara T.; Smith, Lincoln S.; Heidemann, Sabrina M.; Zackai, Sheemon P.; Wellnitz, Kari; Nofziger, Ryan A.; Horwitz, Steven M.; Carroll, Ryan W.; Rowan, Courtney M.; Tarquinio, Keiko M.; Mack, Elizabeth H.; Fitzgerald, Julie C.; Coates, Bria M.; Jackson, Ashley M.; Young, Cameron C.; Son, Mary Beth F.; Patel, Manish M.; Newburger, Jane W.; Randolph, Adrienne G.; Overcoming COVID-19 Investigators; Pediatrics, School of MedicineImportance Refinement of criteria for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) may inform efforts to improve health outcomes. Objective To compare clinical characteristics and outcomes of children and adolescents with MIS-C vs those with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Setting, Design, and Participants Case series of 1116 patients aged younger than 21 years hospitalized between March 15 and October 31, 2020, at 66 US hospitals in 31 states. Final date of follow-up was January 5, 2021. Patients with MIS-C had fever, inflammation, multisystem involvement, and positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or antibody test results or recent exposure with no alternate diagnosis. Patients with COVID-19 had positive RT-PCR test results and severe organ system involvement. Exposure SARS-CoV-2. Main Outcomes and Measures Presenting symptoms, organ system complications, laboratory biomarkers, interventions, and clinical outcomes. Multivariable regression was used to compute adjusted risk ratios (aRRs) of factors associated with MIS-C vs COVID-19. Results Of 1116 patients (median age, 9.7 years; 45% female), 539 (48%) were diagnosed with MIS-C and 577 (52%) with COVID-19. Compared with patients with COVID-19, patients with MIS-C were more likely to be 6 to 12 years old (40.8% vs 19.4%; absolute risk difference [RD], 21.4% [95% CI, 16.1%-26.7%]; aRR, 1.51 [95% CI, 1.33-1.72] vs 0-5 years) and non-Hispanic Black (32.3% vs 21.5%; RD, 10.8% [95% CI, 5.6%-16.0%]; aRR, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.17-1.76] vs White). Compared with patients with COVID-19, patients with MIS-C were more likely to have cardiorespiratory involvement (56.0% vs 8.8%; RD, 47.2% [95% CI, 42.4%-52.0%]; aRR, 2.99 [95% CI, 2.55-3.50] vs respiratory involvement), cardiovascular without respiratory involvement (10.6% vs 2.9%; RD, 7.7% [95% CI, 4.7%-10.6%]; aRR, 2.49 [95% CI, 2.05-3.02] vs respiratory involvement), and mucocutaneous without cardiorespiratory involvement (7.1% vs 2.3%; RD, 4.8% [95% CI, 2.3%-7.3%]; aRR, 2.29 [95% CI, 1.84-2.85] vs respiratory involvement). Patients with MIS-C had higher neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (median, 6.4 vs 2.7, P < .001), higher C-reactive protein level (median, 152 mg/L vs 33 mg/L; P < .001), and lower platelet count (<150 ×103 cells/μL [212/523 {41%} vs 84/486 {17%}, P < .001]). A total of 398 patients (73.8%) with MIS-C and 253 (43.8%) with COVID-19 were admitted to the intensive care unit, and 10 (1.9%) with MIS-C and 8 (1.4%) with COVID-19 died during hospitalization. Among patients with MIS-C with reduced left ventricular systolic function (172/503, 34.2%) and coronary artery aneurysm (57/424, 13.4%), an estimated 91.0% (95% CI, 86.0%-94.7%) and 79.1% (95% CI, 67.1%-89.1%), respectively, normalized within 30 days. Conclusions and Relevance This case series of patients with MIS-C and with COVID-19 identified patterns of clinical presentation and organ system involvement. These patterns may help differentiate between MIS-C and COVID-19.Item A Description of COVID-19-Directed Therapy in Children Admitted to US Intensive Care Units 2020(Oxford University Press, 2022) Schuster, Jennifer E.; Halasa, Natasha B.; Nakamura, Mari; Levy, Emily R.; Fitzgerald, Julie C.; Young, Cameron C.; Newhams, Margaret M.; Bourgeois, Florence; Staat, Mary A.; Hobbs, Charlotte V.; Dapul, Heda; Feldstein, Leora R.; Jackson, Ashley M.; Mack, Elizabeth H.; Walker, Tracie C.; Maddux, Aline B.; Spinella, Philip C.; Loftis, Laura L.; Kong, Michele; Rowan, Courtney M.; Bembea, Melania M.; McLaughlin, Gwenn E.; Hall, Mark W.; Babbitt, Christopher J.; Maamari, Mia; Zinter, Matt S.; Cvijanovich, Natalie Z.; Michelson, Kelly N.; Gertz, Shira J.; Carroll, Christopher L.; Thomas, Neal J.; Giuliano, John S., Jr.; Singh, Aalok R.; Hymes, Saul R.; Schwarz, Adam J.; McGuire, John K.; Nofziger, Ryan A.; Flori, Heidi R.; Clouser, Katharine N.; Wellnitz, Kari; Cullimore, Melissa L.; Hume, Janet R.; Patel, Manish; Randolph, Adrienne G.; Overcoming COVID-19 Investigators; Pediatrics, School of MedicineBackground: It is unclear how acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-directed therapies are used in children with life-threatening COVID-19 in US hospitals. We described characteristics of children hospitalized in the intensive care unit or step-down unit (ICU/SDU) who received COVID-19-directed therapies and the specific therapies administered. Methods: Between March 15, 2020 and December 27, 2020, children <18 years of age in the ICU/SDU with acute COVID-19 at 48 pediatric hospitals in the United States were identified. Demographics, laboratory values, and clinical course were compared in children who did and did not receive COVID-19-directed therapies. Trends in COVID-19-directed therapies over time were evaluated. Results: Of 424 children in the ICU/SDU, 235 (55%) received COVID-19-directed therapies. Children who received COVID-19-directed therapies were older than those who did not receive COVID-19-directed therapies (13.3 [5.6-16.2] vs 9.8 [0.65-15.9] years), more had underlying medical conditions (188 [80%] vs 104 [55%]; difference = 25% [95% CI: 16% to 34%]), more received respiratory support (206 [88%] vs 71 [38%]; difference = 50% [95% CI: 34% to 56%]), and more died (8 [3.4%] vs 0). Of the 235 children receiving COVID-19-directed therapies, 172 (73%) received systemic steroids and 150 (64%) received remdesivir, with rising remdesivir use over the study period (14% in March/April to 57% November/December). Conclusion: Despite the lack of pediatric data evaluating treatments for COVID-19 in critically ill children, more than half of children requiring intensive or high acuity care received COVID-19-directed therapies.Item Infants Admitted to US Intensive Care Units for RSV Infection During the 2022 Seasonal Peak(American Medical Association, 2023-08-01) Halasa, Natasha; Zambrano, Laura D.; Amarin, Justin Z.; Stewart, Laura S.; Newhams, Margaret M.; Levy, Emily R.; Shein, Steven L.; Carroll, Christopher L.; Fitzgerald, Julie C.; Michaels, Marian G.; Bline, Katherine; Cullimore, Melissa L.; Loftis, Laura; Montgomery, Vicki L.; Jeyapalan, Asumthia S.; Pannaraj, Pia S.; Schwarz, Adam J.; Cvijanovich, Natalie Z.; Zinter, Matt S.; Maddux, Aline B.; Bembea, Melania M.; Irby, Katherine; Zerr, Danielle M.; Kuebler, Joseph D.; Babbitt, Christopher J.; Glas Gaspers, Mary; Nofziger, Ryan A.; Kong, Michele; Coates, Bria M.; Schuster, Jennifer E.; Gertz, Shira J.; Mack, Elizabeth H.; White, Benjamin R.; Harvey, Helen; Hobbs, Charlotte V.; Dapul, Heda; Butler, Andrew D.; Bradford, Tamara T.; Rowan, Courtney M.; Wellnitz, Kari; Allen Staat, Mary; Aguiar, Cassyanne L.; Hymes, Saul R.; Randolph, Adrienne G.; Campbell, Angela P.; RSV-PIC Investigators; Pediatrics, School of MedicineImportance: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) and infant hospitalization worldwide. Objective: To evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of RSV-related critical illness in US infants during peak 2022 RSV transmission. Design, setting, and participants: This cross-sectional study used a public health prospective surveillance registry in 39 pediatric hospitals across 27 US states. Participants were infants admitted for 24 or more hours between October 17 and December 16, 2022, to a unit providing intensive care due to laboratory-confirmed RSV infection. Exposure: Respiratory syncytial virus. Main outcomes and measures: Data were captured on demographics, clinical characteristics, signs and symptoms, laboratory values, severity measures, and clinical outcomes, including receipt of noninvasive respiratory support, invasive mechanical ventilation, vasopressors or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and death. Mixed-effects multivariable log-binomial regression models were used to assess associations between intubation status and demographic factors, gestational age, and underlying conditions, including hospital as a random effect to account for between-site heterogeneity. Results: The first 15 to 20 consecutive eligible infants from each site were included for a target sample size of 600. Among the 600 infants, the median (IQR) age was 2.6 (1.4-6.0) months; 361 (60.2%) were male, 169 (28.9%) were born prematurely, and 487 (81.2%) had no underlying medical conditions. Primary reasons for admission included LRTI (594 infants [99.0%]) and apnea or bradycardia (77 infants [12.8%]). Overall, 143 infants (23.8%) received invasive mechanical ventilation (median [IQR], 6.0 [4.0-10.0] days). The highest level of respiratory support for nonintubated infants was high-flow nasal cannula (243 infants [40.5%]), followed by bilevel positive airway pressure (150 infants [25.0%]) and continuous positive airway pressure (52 infants [8.7%]). Infants younger than 3 months, those born prematurely (gestational age <37 weeks), or those publicly insured were at higher risk for intubation. Four infants (0.7%) received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and 2 died. The median (IQR) length of hospitalization for survivors was 5 (4-10) days. Conclusions and relevance: In this cross-sectional study, most US infants who required intensive care for RSV LRTIs were young, healthy, and born at term. These findings highlight the need for RSV preventive interventions targeting all infants to reduce the burden of severe RSV illness.Item Neurologic Involvement in Children and Adolescents Hospitalized in the United States for COVID-19 or Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome(AMA, 2021-03) LaRovere, Kerri L.; Riggs, Becky J.; Poussaint, Tina Y.; Young, Cameron C.; Newhams, Margaret M.; Maamari, Mia; Walker, Tracie C.; Singh, Aalok R.; Dapul, Heda; Hobbs, Charlotte V.; McLaughlin, Gwenn E.; Son, Mary Beth F.; Maddux, Aline B.; Clouser, Katharine N.; Rowan, Courtney M.; McGuire, John K.; Fitzgerald, Julie C.; Gertz, Shira J.; Shein, Steven L.; Munoz, Alvaro Coronado; Thomas, Neal J.; Irby, Katherine; Levy, Emily R.; Staat, Mary A.; Tenforde, Mark W.; Feldstein, Leora R.; Halasa, Natasha B.; Giuliano, John S.; Hall, Mark W.; Kong, Michele; Carroll, Christopher L.; Schuster, Jennifer E.; Doymaz, Sule; Loftis, Laura L.; Tarquinio, Keiko M.; Babbitt, Christopher J.; Nofziger, Ryan A.; Kleinman, Lawrence C.; Keenaghan, Michael A.; Cvijanovich, Natalie Z.; Spinella, Philip C.; Hume, Janet R.; Wellnitz, Kari; Mack, Elizabeth H.; Michelson, Kelly N.; Flori, Heidi R.; Patel, Manish M.; Randolph, Adrienne G.; Overcoming COVID-19 Investigators; Gaspers, Mary G; Typpo, Katri V; Sanders, Ronald C; Schwarz, Adam J; Harvey, Helen; Zinter, Matt S; Mourani, Peter M; Coates, Bria M; Bhoojhawon, Guru; Havlin, Kevin M; Montgomery, Vicki L; Sullivan, Janice E; Bradford, Tamara T; Bembea, Melania M; Lipton, Susan V; Graciano, Ana Lia; Chen, Sabrina R; Kucukak, Suden; Newburger, Jane W; Carroll, Ryan W; Fernandes, Neil D; Yager, Phoebe H; Marohn, Kimberly L; Heidemann, Sabrina M; Cullimore, Melissa L; McCulloh, Russell J; Horwitz, Steven M; Li, Simon; Walsh, Rowan F; Ratner, Adam J; Soma, Vijaya L; Gillen, Jennifer K; Zackai, Sheemon P; Ackerman, Kate G; Cholette, Jill M; Harwayne-Gidansky, Ilana; Hymes, Saul R; Overby, Philip J; Schwartz, Stephanie P; Lansell, Amanda N; Koncicki, Monica L; Carcillo, Joseph; Fink, Ericka; Kimura, Dai; Bowens, Cindy; Crandall, Hillary; Smith, Lincoln S; Cengiz, Pelin; Pediatrics, School of MedicineImportance Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affects the nervous system in adult patients. The spectrum of neurologic involvement in children and adolescents is unclear. Objective To understand the range and severity of neurologic involvement among children and adolescents associated with COVID-19. Setting, Design, and Participants Case series of patients (age <21 years) hospitalized between March 15, 2020, and December 15, 2020, with positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 test result (reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and/or antibody) at 61 US hospitals in the Overcoming COVID-19 public health registry, including 616 (36%) meeting criteria for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Patients with neurologic involvement had acute neurologic signs, symptoms, or diseases on presentation or during hospitalization. Life-threatening involvement was adjudicated by experts based on clinical and/or neuroradiologic features. Exposures Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Main Outcomes and Measures Type and severity of neurologic involvement, laboratory and imaging data, and outcomes (death or survival with new neurologic deficits) at hospital discharge. Results Of 1695 patients (909 [54%] male; median [interquartile range] age, 9.1 [2.4-15.3] years), 365 (22%) from 52 sites had documented neurologic involvement. Patients with neurologic involvement were more likely to have underlying neurologic disorders (81 of 365 [22%]) compared with those without (113 of 1330 [8%]), but a similar number were previously healthy (195 [53%] vs 723 [54%]) and met criteria for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (126 [35%] vs 490 [37%]). Among those with neurologic involvement, 322 (88%) had transient symptoms and survived, and 43 (12%) developed life-threatening conditions clinically adjudicated to be associated with COVID-19, including severe encephalopathy (n = 15; 5 with splenial lesions), stroke (n = 12), central nervous system infection/demyelination (n = 8), Guillain-Barré syndrome/variants (n = 4), and acute fulminant cerebral edema (n = 4). Compared with those without life-threatening conditions (n = 322), those with life-threatening neurologic conditions had higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios (median, 12.2 vs 4.4) and higher reported frequency of D-dimer greater than 3 μg/mL fibrinogen equivalent units (21 [49%] vs 72 [22%]). Of 43 patients who developed COVID-19–related life-threatening neurologic involvement, 17 survivors (40%) had new neurologic deficits at hospital discharge, and 11 patients (26%) died. Conclusions and Relevance In this study, many children and adolescents hospitalized for COVID-19 or multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children had neurologic involvement, mostly transient symptoms. A range of life-threatening and fatal neurologic conditions associated with COVID-19 infrequently occurred. Effects on long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes are unknown.Item Risk Factors for Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children: A Case-Control Investigation(Wolters Kluwer, 2023) Zambrano, Laura D.; Wu, Michael J.; Martin, Lora; Malloch, Lacy; Chen, Sabrina; Newhams, Margaret M.; Kucukak, Suden; Son, Mary Beth; Sanders, Cameron; Patterson, Kayla; Halasa, Natasha; Fitzgerald, Julie C.; Leroue, Matthew K.; Hall, Mark; Irby, Katherine; Rowan, Courtney M.; Wellnitz, Kari; Sahni, Leila C.; Loftis, Laura; Bradford, Tamara T.; Staat, Mary; Babbitt, Christopher; Carroll, Christopher L.; Pannaraj, Pia S.; Kong, Michele; Schuster, Jennifer E.; Chou, Janet; Patel, Manish M.; Randolph, Adrienne G.; Campbell, Angela P.; Hobbs, Charlotte V.; Overcoming COVID-19 investigators; Pediatrics, School of MedicineBackground: In a 2020 pilot case-control study using medical records, we reported that non-Hispanic Black children were more likely to develop multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) after adjustment for sociodemographic factors and underlying medical conditions. Using structured interviews, we investigated patient, household, and community factors underlying MIS-C likelihood. Methods: MIS-C case patients hospitalized in 2021 across 14 US pediatric hospitals were matched by age and site to outpatient controls testing positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) within 3 months of the admission date. Caregiver interviews queried race/ethnicity, medical history, and household and potential community exposures 1 month before MIS-C hospitalization (case-patients) or after SARS-CoV-2 infection (controls). We calculated adjusted odds ratios (aOR) using mixed-effects multivariable logistic regression. Results: Among 275 case patients and 496 controls, race/ethnicity, social vulnerability and patient or family history of autoimmune/rheumatologic disease were not associated with MIS-C. In previously healthy children, MIS-C was associated with a history of hospitalization for an infection [aOR: 4.8; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.1-11.0]. Household crowding (aOR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.2-2.6), large event attendance (aOR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.3-2.1), school attendance with limited masking (aOR: 2.6; 95% CI: 1.1-6.6), public transit use (aOR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.4-2.4) and co-resident testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 (aOR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.3-3.7) were associated with increased MIS-C likelihood, with risk increasing with the number of these factors. Conclusions: From caregiver interviews, we clarify household and community exposures associated with MIS-C; however, we did not confirm prior associations between sociodemographic factors and MIS-C.Item Tachyarrhythmias During Hospitalization for COVID-19 or Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children and Adolescents(American Heart Association, 2022) Dionne, Audrey; Friedman, Kevin G.; Young, Cameron C.; Newhams, Margaret M.; Kucukak, Suden; Jackson, Ashley M.; Fitzgerald, Julie C.; Smallcomb, Laura S.; Heidemann, Sabrina; McLaughlin, Gwenn E.; Irby, Katherine; Bradford, Tamara T.; Horwitz, Steven M.; Loftis, Laura L.; Soma, Vijaya L.; Rowan, Courtney M.; Kong, Michele; Halasa, Natasha B.; Tarquinio, Keiko M.; Schwarz, Adam J.; Hume, Janet R.; Gertz, Shira J.; Clouser, Katharine N.; Carroll, Christopher L.; Wellnitz, Kari; Cullimore, Melissa L.; Doymaz, Sule; Levy, Emily R.; Typpo, Katri V.; Lansell, Amanda N.; Butler, Andrew D.; Kuebler, Joseph D.; Zambrano, Laura D.; Campbell, Angela P.; Patel, Manish M.; Randolph, Adrienne G.; Newburger, Jane W.; Overcoming COVID-19 Investigators; Pediatrics, School of MedicineBackground: Cardiac complications related to COVID‐19 in children and adolescents include ventricular dysfunction, myocarditis, coronary artery aneurysm, and bradyarrhythmias, but tachyarrhythmias are less understood. The goal of this study was to evaluate the frequency, characteristics, and outcomes of children and adolescents experiencing tachyarrhythmias while hospitalized for acute severe COVID‐19 or multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Methods and Results: This study involved a case series of 63 patients with tachyarrhythmias reported in a public health surveillance registry of patients aged <21 years hospitalized from March 15, 2020, to December 31, 2021, at 63 US hospitals. Patients with tachyarrhythmias were compared with patients with severe COVID‐19–related complications without tachyarrhythmias. Tachyarrhythmias were reported in 22 of 1257 patients (1.8%) with acute COVID‐19 and 41 of 2343 (1.7%) patients with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. They included supraventricular tachycardia in 28 (44%), accelerated junctional rhythm in 9 (14%), and ventricular tachycardia in 38 (60%); >1 type was reported in 12 (19%). Registry patients with versus without tachyarrhythmia were older (median age, 15.4 [range, 10.4–17.4] versus 10.0 [range, 5.4–14.8] years) and had higher illness severity on hospital admission. Intervention for treatment of tachyarrhythmia was required in 37 (59%) patients and included antiarrhythmic medication (n=31, 49%), electrical cardioversion (n=11, 17%), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (n=8, 13%), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (n=9, 14%). Patients with tachyarrhythmias had longer hospital length of stay than those who did not, and 9 (14%) versus 77 (2%) died. Conclusions: Tachyarrhythmias were a rare complication of acute severe COVID‐19 and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and adolescents and were associated with worse clinical outcomes, highlighting the importance of close monitoring, aggressive treatment, and postdischarge care.Item Tachyarrhythmias During Hospitalization for COVID-19 or Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children and Adolescents(American Heart Association, 2022-10-18) Dionne, Audrey; Friedman, Kevin G.; Young, Cameron C.; Newhams, Margaret M.; Kucukak, Suden; Jackson , Ashley M.; Fitzgerland , Julie C.; Smallcomb, Laura S.; Heidemann, Sabrina; McLaughlin , Gwenn E.; Irby, Katherine; Bradford, Tamara T.; Horwitz, Steven M.; Loftis, Laura L.; Soma, Vijaya L.; Rowan, Courtney M.; Kong, Michele; Halasa, Natasha B.; Tarquinio, Keiko M.; Schwartz, Adam J.; Hume, Janet R.; Gertz, Shira J.; Clouser, Katharine N.; Carroll, Christopher L.; Wellnitz, Kari; Cullimore , Melissa L.; Doymaz, Sule; Levy, Emily R.; Typpo, Katri V.; Lansell, Amanda N.; Butler, Andrew D.; Kuebler, Joseph D.; Zambrano, Laura D.; Campbell, Angela P.; Patel, Manish M.; Randolph, Andrienne G.; Newburger, Jane W.; Overcoming COVID‐19 Investigators; Pediatrics, School of MedicineBackground Cardiac complications related to COVID‐19 in children and adolescents include ventricular dysfunction, myocarditis, coronary artery aneurysm, and bradyarrhythmias, but tachyarrhythmias are less understood. The goal of this study was to evaluate the frequency, characteristics, and outcomes of children and adolescents experiencing tachyarrhythmias while hospitalized for acute severe COVID‐19 or multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Methods and Results This study involved a case series of 63 patients with tachyarrhythmias reported in a public health surveillance registry of patients aged <21 years hospitalized from March 15, 2020, to December 31, 2021, at 63 US hospitals. Patients with tachyarrhythmias were compared with patients with severe COVID‐19–related complications without tachyarrhythmias. Tachyarrhythmias were reported in 22 of 1257 patients (1.8%) with acute COVID‐19 and 41 of 2343 (1.7%) patients with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. They included supraventricular tachycardia in 28 (44%), accelerated junctional rhythm in 9 (14%), and ventricular tachycardia in 38 (60%); >1 type was reported in 12 (19%). Registry patients with versus without tachyarrhythmia were older (median age, 15.4 [range, 10.4–17.4] versus 10.0 [range, 5.4–14.8] years) and had higher illness severity on hospital admission. Intervention for treatment of tachyarrhythmia was required in 37 (59%) patients and included antiarrhythmic medication (n=31, 49%), electrical cardioversion (n=11, 17%), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (n=8, 13%), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (n=9, 14%). Patients with tachyarrhythmias had longer hospital length of stay than those who did not, and 9 (14%) versus 77 (2%) died. Conclusions Tachyarrhythmias were a rare complication of acute severe COVID‐19 and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and adolescents and were associated with worse clinical outcomes, highlighting the importance of close monitoring, aggressive treatment, and postdischarge care.Item Variation in Early Anakinra Use and Short-Term Outcomes in Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children(Wiley, 2023) Chang, Joyce C.; Young, Cameron C.; Muscal, Eyal; Sexson Tejtel, Sara K.; Newhams, Margaret M.; Kucukak, Suden; Crandall, Hillary; Maddux, Aline B.; Rowan, Courtney M.; Halasa, Natasha B.; Harvey, Helen A.; Hobbs, Charlotte V.; Hall, Mark W.; Kong, Michele; Aguiar, Cassyanne L.; Schuster, Jennifer E.; Fitzgerald, Julie C.; Singh, Aalok R.; Wellnitz, Kari; Nofziger, Ryan A.; Cvijanovich, Natalie Z.; Mack, Elizabeth H.; Schwarz, Adam J.; Heidemann, Sabrina; Newburger, Jane W.; Zambrano, Laura D.; Campbell, Angela P.; Patel, Manish M.; Randolph, Adrienne G.; Son, Mary Beth F.; Overcoming COVID Investigators; Pediatrics, School of MedicineObjective: Evidence regarding effectiveness of interleukin-1 receptor antagonism in Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) is lacking. We characterized variation in initial treatment with anakinra and evaluated cardiovascular outcomes associated with adding anakinra to standard initial therapy. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of MIS-C cases in a U.S. surveillance registry November 2020-December 2021. Day 0 was the first calendar day of immunomodulatory treatment. Factors associated with initial anakinra use (days 0–1) were identified. We compared cases ages 2–20 years receiving intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and glucocorticoids vs. anakinra plus IVIG and/or glucocorticoids (days 0–1), using inverse probability weighting to balance severity. Primary outcomes were vasopressor requirement (day 3) and impaired left ventricular ejection fraction (days 3–4). The secondary outcome was 50% reduction in C-reactive protein (day 3). Results: Among 1516 MIS-C cases (44 sites), 193 (13%) received anakinra alone or with other immunomodulators as initial treatment (range 0–74% by site). Site accounted for 59% of residual variance in anakinra use. After balancing severity, initial treatment with anakinra plus IVIG and/or glucocorticoids (N=121) vs. IVIG and glucocorticoids (N=389) was not associated with significant differences in vasopressor requirement (25.6% vs. 20.1%; RR 1.27, 95% CI [0.88–1.84]), ventricular dysfunction (33.7% vs. 25.7%; RR 1.31, 95% CI [0.98–1.75]), or C-reactive protein reduction. Conclusions: We identified substantial variation in initial anakinra use in a real-world population of children with MIS-C, but no average short-term improvement in cardiovascular outcomes associated with early addition of anakinra to IVIG and/or glucocorticoids compared to IVIG and glucocorticoids alone.