An opportunity missed: Strengthening health system data on multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children from low- and middle-income countries in Asia

Abstract

Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a severe complication associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The clinical epidemiology of MIS-C is not completely understood in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to limited reporting, including in Asia where there was a substantial burden of COVID-19. We aimed to discuss the challenges of diagnosing MIS-C and factors which may cause children from Asian LMICs to have an increased risk of MIS-C. Methods: Not applicable. Results: The burden of MIS-C in Asian LMICs may be disproportionately high due to underlying risk factors, resource-limited health systems, and the increased infectivity and transmissibility of recent SARS-CoV-2 variants. Complex clinical features of MIS-C contributed to missed or delayed diagnosis and treatment, while underlying risk factors including ethnicity, chronic health conditions, and socioeconomic factors may have predisposed children in Asian LMICs to MIS-C. Conclusions: There was a lack of data on the clinical epidemiology of MIS-C in Asian LMICs during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite reports of higher paediatric mortality rates compared to high-income countries. This highlights the need for LMICs to have strong surveillance systems to collect high-quality and timely data on newly emerging complications associated with a pandemic, such as MIS-C. This will lead to rapid understanding of these emerging complications, and inform clinical management, disease prevention and health system planning.

Keywords

• MIS-C
• COVID-19
• Global health
• Public health
• Child health