AUTHOR=Chao Yen-Chun , Yang Horng-Woei , Chang Lung , Tseng Chih-Wen , Fang Li-Ching , Ho Che-Sheng , Chi Hsin , Yang Kuender D. 

TITLE=Case report: Presentations and cytokine profiles of inflammatory non-pulmonary COVID-19 and related diseases in children

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pediatrics

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2023.1209772

DOI=10.3389/fped.2023.1209772

ISSN=2296-2360

ABSTRACT=<p>The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has evolved to dynamic waves of different SARS-CoV-2 variants. Initially, children diagnosed with COVID-19 presented pulmonary involvement characterized by mild diseases. In the later waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, life-threatening non-pulmonary inflammatory diseases such as (1) aseptic meningoencephalitis (ME), (2) acute necrotizing encephalopathies (ANE), and (3) multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) have been reported, affecting the pediatric population. To alert timely identification and prevention of the life-threatening non-pulmonary COVID-19, we present the cases of ME, ANE, and MIS-C in terms of clinical manifestation, cytokine profile, and follow-up consequences. Based on the immunopathogenesis and risk factors associated with non-pulmonary COVID-19, we delineate strategies for an early diagnosis and treatment to reduce morbidity and mortality in children.</p>