Differentiating Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) and Its Mimics–A Single-Center Experience From a Tropical Setting

OBJECTIVE: Identifying clinical and laboratory indicators that differentiate multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) apart from other febrile diseases in a tropical hospital setting. METHODS: Review of hospital records done in a tertiary care exclusive children’s hospital for children admitted from April, 2020 till June, 2021. Laboratory values, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) serological status, and clinical signs and symptoms of patients with MIS-C, and those with similar presentations were analyzed. RESULTS: 114 children fulfilled the inclusion criteria (age group of 1 mo-18 y) for whom a diagnosis of MIS-C was considered in the emergency room based on the clinical features. Among them, 64 children had the final diagnosis of MIS-C, and the remaining 50 children had confirmatory evidence of infections mimicking MIS-C such as enteric fever, scrub typhus, dengue and appendicitis. CONCLUSION: Older age group, presence of mucocutaneous symptoms, very high C-reactive protein, neutrophilic leukocytosis, abdominal pain and absence of hepatosplenomegaly favor a diagnosis of MIS-C.