Paediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome Temporally Associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS-TS): Prospective, National Surveillance, UK and Ireland, 2020

Abstract

Background: Paediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS-TS), first identified in April 2020, shares features of both Kawasaki disease (KD) and toxic shock syndrome (TSS). \n \nMethods: Public Health England initiated prospective national surveillance of PIMS-TS through the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit. Paediatricians were contacted monthly to report PIMS-TS, KD and TSS cases electronically and complete a detailed clinical questionnaire. Cases with symptom onset between 01 March and 15 June 2020 were included. \n \nFindings: There were 216 cases with features of PIMS-TS alone, 13 with features of both PIMS-TS and KD, 28 with features of PIMS-TS and TSS and 11 with features of PIMS-TS, KD and TSS, with differences in age, ethnicity, clinical presentation and disease severity between the three phenotypic groups. There was a strong geographical and temporal association between SARS-CoV-2 infection rates and PIMS-TS cases. Of those tested, 14·8% (39/264) children had a positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR, and 63·6% (75/118) were positive for SARS-CoV-2 serology. In total 118 children (44·0%) required intensive care, which was more common in cases with a TSS phenotype: 89/216 (41·2%) with PIMS-TS only vs. 19/28 (67·9%) with PIMS-TS/TSS and 6/11 (54·5%) with PIMS-TS/KD/TSS. Three of five children with cardiac arrest had PIMS-TS/TSS phenotype. Three children (1·1%) died. \n \nInterpretation: The strong association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and PIMS-TS emphasises the importance of maintaining low community infection rates to reduce the risk of this rare but severe complication in children and adolescents. Close follow-up will be important to monitor long-term complications in children with PIMS-TS. \n \nFunding: PHE \n \nDeclaration of Interests: None to declare. \n \nEthics Approval Statement: PHE has legal permission under Regulation 3 of The Health Service (Control of Patient Information) Regulations 2002, to conduct national surveillance of communicable diseases in England and, as such, individual patient consent is not required. Public Health Wales, through the established order legislation, is required to conduct surveillance of communicable diseases in Wales and, as such, individual patient consent is not required. The surveillance protocol was approved by the Public Benefit and Privacy Panel for Health and Social Care in Scotland (Ref: 2021-0041, 19th May 2020).