Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and Kawasaki disease
This narrative review aims to analyze and compare the current literature on multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and Kawasaki disease (KD), with a focus on case definitions, clinical features, diagnostic approaches, treatment strategies, and outcomes. Through a comprehensive review...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Immunology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1554787/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850187474531254272 |
|---|---|
| author | Ancuta Lupu Cristina Gavrilovici Cristina Maria Mihai Denisa Claudia Tonco Alin Horatiu Nedelcu Leonard Pertea Tatiana Chisnoiu Ginel Baciu Ramona Mihaela Stoicescu Delia Lidia Salaru Minerva Codruta Badescu Magdalena Cuciureanu Olga Cirstea Vasile Valeriu Lupu |
| author_facet | Ancuta Lupu Cristina Gavrilovici Cristina Maria Mihai Denisa Claudia Tonco Alin Horatiu Nedelcu Leonard Pertea Tatiana Chisnoiu Ginel Baciu Ramona Mihaela Stoicescu Delia Lidia Salaru Minerva Codruta Badescu Magdalena Cuciureanu Olga Cirstea Vasile Valeriu Lupu |
| author_sort | Ancuta Lupu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This narrative review aims to analyze and compare the current literature on multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and Kawasaki disease (KD), with a focus on case definitions, clinical features, diagnostic approaches, treatment strategies, and outcomes. Through a comprehensive review of relevant studies, including screening titles, abstracts, and full-text articles, key similarities and differences were identified. Both MIS-C and KD involve immune system dysregulation and share clinical manifestations such as rash, gastrointestinal symptoms, and cardiovascular involvement, with treatments often centered around immunomodulatory therapies. However, significant differences were observed, particularly in terms of age distribution, demographic prevalence, clinical presentation, and diagnostic criteria, with KD primarily affecting younger children and being associated more prominently with coronary artery abnormalities. While both diseases raise concerns about severe cardiac involvement and the need for intensive care, their pathogenic mechanisms have not been fully understood. Ongoing research is critical to elucidating these mechanisms, refining diagnostic criteria, and optimizing therapeutic approaches to improve outcomes for affected children. This comparative analysis is essential for advancing the understanding of both conditions, as accurately distinguishing between MIS-C and KD has significant implications for clinical decision-making and patient management. Given their overlapping yet distinct clinical features, precise differentiation is critical for ensuring timely diagnosis, optimizing therapeutic strategies, and improving patient outcomes. The concern among pediatric patients stems from the potential for severe complications, particularly cardiac involvement, which underscores the need for heightened awareness, early recognition, and evidence-based treatment strategies to minimize long-term morbidity and mortality. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cb641288c96643e0822695c94100bc30 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1664-3224 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Immunology |
| spelling | doaj-art-cb641288c96643e0822695c94100bc302025-08-20T02:16:05ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242025-04-011610.3389/fimmu.2025.15547871554787Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and Kawasaki diseaseAncuta Lupu0Cristina Gavrilovici1Cristina Maria Mihai2Denisa Claudia Tonco3Alin Horatiu Nedelcu4Leonard Pertea5Tatiana Chisnoiu6Ginel Baciu7Ramona Mihaela Stoicescu8Delia Lidia Salaru9Minerva Codruta Badescu10Magdalena Cuciureanu11Olga Cirstea12Vasile Valeriu Lupu13Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, RomaniaPediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, RomaniaFaculty of Medicine, “Ovidius” University, Constanta, RomaniaPediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, RomaniaFaculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, RomaniaPediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, RomaniaFaculty of Medicine, “Ovidius” University, Constanta, RomaniaPediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, Galati, RomaniaFaculty of Medicine, “Ovidius” University, Constanta, RomaniaFaculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, RomaniaFaculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, RomaniaFaculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, RomaniaPediatrics, “Nicolae Testemitanu” State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Chisinau, MoldovaPediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, RomaniaThis narrative review aims to analyze and compare the current literature on multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and Kawasaki disease (KD), with a focus on case definitions, clinical features, diagnostic approaches, treatment strategies, and outcomes. Through a comprehensive review of relevant studies, including screening titles, abstracts, and full-text articles, key similarities and differences were identified. Both MIS-C and KD involve immune system dysregulation and share clinical manifestations such as rash, gastrointestinal symptoms, and cardiovascular involvement, with treatments often centered around immunomodulatory therapies. However, significant differences were observed, particularly in terms of age distribution, demographic prevalence, clinical presentation, and diagnostic criteria, with KD primarily affecting younger children and being associated more prominently with coronary artery abnormalities. While both diseases raise concerns about severe cardiac involvement and the need for intensive care, their pathogenic mechanisms have not been fully understood. Ongoing research is critical to elucidating these mechanisms, refining diagnostic criteria, and optimizing therapeutic approaches to improve outcomes for affected children. This comparative analysis is essential for advancing the understanding of both conditions, as accurately distinguishing between MIS-C and KD has significant implications for clinical decision-making and patient management. Given their overlapping yet distinct clinical features, precise differentiation is critical for ensuring timely diagnosis, optimizing therapeutic strategies, and improving patient outcomes. The concern among pediatric patients stems from the potential for severe complications, particularly cardiac involvement, which underscores the need for heightened awareness, early recognition, and evidence-based treatment strategies to minimize long-term morbidity and mortality.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1554787/fullmultisystem inflammatory syndrome in childrenKawasaki diseaseSARS-CoV-2immune responseinflammatory responsepediatrics |
| spellingShingle | Ancuta Lupu Cristina Gavrilovici Cristina Maria Mihai Denisa Claudia Tonco Alin Horatiu Nedelcu Leonard Pertea Tatiana Chisnoiu Ginel Baciu Ramona Mihaela Stoicescu Delia Lidia Salaru Minerva Codruta Badescu Magdalena Cuciureanu Olga Cirstea Vasile Valeriu Lupu Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and Kawasaki disease Frontiers in Immunology multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children Kawasaki disease SARS-CoV-2 immune response inflammatory response pediatrics |
| title | Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and Kawasaki disease |
| title_full | Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and Kawasaki disease |
| title_fullStr | Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and Kawasaki disease |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and Kawasaki disease |
| title_short | Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and Kawasaki disease |
| title_sort | multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and kawasaki disease |
| topic | multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children Kawasaki disease SARS-CoV-2 immune response inflammatory response pediatrics |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1554787/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ancutalupu multisysteminflammatorysyndromeinchildrenandkawasakidisease AT cristinagavrilovici multisysteminflammatorysyndromeinchildrenandkawasakidisease AT cristinamariamihai multisysteminflammatorysyndromeinchildrenandkawasakidisease AT denisaclaudiatonco multisysteminflammatorysyndromeinchildrenandkawasakidisease AT alinhoratiunedelcu multisysteminflammatorysyndromeinchildrenandkawasakidisease AT leonardpertea multisysteminflammatorysyndromeinchildrenandkawasakidisease AT tatianachisnoiu multisysteminflammatorysyndromeinchildrenandkawasakidisease AT ginelbaciu multisysteminflammatorysyndromeinchildrenandkawasakidisease AT ramonamihaelastoicescu multisysteminflammatorysyndromeinchildrenandkawasakidisease AT delialidiasalaru multisysteminflammatorysyndromeinchildrenandkawasakidisease AT minervacodrutabadescu multisysteminflammatorysyndromeinchildrenandkawasakidisease AT magdalenacuciureanu multisysteminflammatorysyndromeinchildrenandkawasakidisease AT olgacirstea multisysteminflammatorysyndromeinchildrenandkawasakidisease AT vasilevaleriulupu multisysteminflammatorysyndromeinchildrenandkawasakidisease |