A Young Adult With Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome Following Weeks of Initial COVID-19 Respiratory Infection, With No Prior COVID-19 Vaccination: A Case Report

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) following COVID-19, a condition primarily diagnosed in children, has also been observed less frequently in adults. It usually presents with a multitude of symptoms, mimicking a shock-like state characterized by multiple organ failure. Diagnosis often involves ruling out other conditions and timely management to mitigate morbidity and mortality. In this case, a 39-year-old unvaccinated Caucasian male patient reported symptoms of fever, chills, night sweats, diarrhea, headache, nasal congestion, and facial pain. Despite treatment with antipyretics, the fever persisted. The patient had tested positive for COVID-19 via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) six weeks prior. Clinical findings included low oxygen saturation, sinus tachycardia, abnormal liver function, elevated inflammatory markers, a negative respiratory viral panel, a negative immunologic workup, and a positive Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) PCR. Following complaints of chest pain which quickly escalated to cardiac arrest, he was diagnosed with myopericarditis. These manifestations met the multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults (MIS-A) diagnostic criteria as stipulated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The diagnosis of MIS-A was reached through exclusion. Notably, the patient responded well to symptomatic management. Given the infrequent occurrence of MIS-A cases, even in 2023, it remains a challenging diagnosis. Despite existing guidelines for management, the recovery of this patient solely through symptomatic treatment prior to the consideration of conventional treatment is striking. The patient had concurrent infections, including a C. difficile infection, but these did not account for the overall clinical presentation, particularly the myopericarditis and positive laboratory findings.