Vasculitis in the Pediatric Patient with COVID-19: What is the Role of Perinuclear Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies in the Pathophysiology?



The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the most important public health problems of the 21st century. It has affected all age groups and all areas of human life, requiring organizational modifications and rapid updates of clinical practice guidelines. Pediatric patients may be one of the most affected groups, because the process of growth and development depends on social interaction, lifestyle, nutrition, and physical and psychological well-being [1]. Another challenge in this group is the early and appropriate management of COVID-19, multisystemic inflammatory syndromes and associated complications [2]. Keshavarz et al [2] conducted a systematic review where they evaluated 133 children who developed Kawasaki disease associated with COVID-19, finding that 55.6% of these cases should be managed in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, 36.8% needed respiratory support and more than 20% required intubation or mechanical ventilatory support [2]. Approximately 10% of these patients die due to severe heart failure, shock and cerebral infarction, substantially compromising the functional prognosis of those who develop these complications and do not die [2].

Citation: Mendoza KPO, Duque LED, Perez VN, Torres DCO, Rahman MMd. “Vasculitis in the Pediatric Patient with COVID-19: What is the Role of Perinuclear Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies in the Pathophysiology?”. SVOA Neurology 2:5 (2021) Pages 162-163.