Development of Preliminary Criteria of Macrophage Activation Syndrome in Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome Associated with COVID-19 in Children

2024

Criteria for Diagnosing Macrophage Activation Syndrome in Children with COVID-19

Sample size: 166 publication 10 minutes Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Avrusin Ilia S., Bregel Liudmila V., Efremova Olesya S., Kostik Mikhail M.

Primary Institution: Saint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University

Hypothesis

The study aimed to develop specific criteria for the early diagnosis of macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) in children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome associated with COVID-19 (MIS-C).

Conclusion

Ferritin levels greater than 469 μg/L or platelet counts less than 114 × 10^9/L are key indicators for differentiating MAS in MIS-C patients.

Supporting Evidence

Patients with MAS had significantly higher ferritin levels compared to those without MAS.
Thrombocytopenia was observed in 94.7% of MAS patients.
Patients with MAS had a higher frequency of neurological symptoms and shock compared to those without MAS.
The study identified two key diagnostic criteria for MAS with high sensitivity and specificity.

Takeaway

Doctors can tell if a child has a serious condition called macrophage activation syndrome by checking their blood for certain signs, like high ferritin or low platelets.

Methodology

The study assessed 166 patients with MIS-C retrospectively, categorizing them into groups based on the presence of MAS and analyzing clinical and laboratory parameters.