Patients with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) exhibit a variety of cutaneous findings, but no stereotypic rash, according to a recent study published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases.
Researchers described the dermatologic manifestations of MIS-C at a single institution to aid in the understanding of clinical characteristics of MIS-C to assist with diagnosis. Children admitted to tertiary care at an academic pediatric medical center with suspected MIS-C were evaluated and officially diagnosed. Skin findings were photographed and clinical characteristics noted.
A variety of cutaneous clinical findings were observed in the patients, including palmar and plantar erythema. A total of 57% of patients experienced lesions on the chest and upper extremities, and 71% had lesions of the proximal medial thigh. Mucosal changes were noted in 86% of the patients, but other face changes were less frequently involved.
A variety of erythematous lesions were observed, classified as urticarial, morbilliform, and livedoid, with 57% of the lesions being small to medium annular plaques. Reticulated plaques and patches (taking on a livedoid appearance) purpura in the center of annular (urticarial) plaques were also observed.
“We find that no unique, stereotypic rash was observed in patients who were treated for MIS-C, although annular plaques in the proximal medial lower extremities were common, a finding that warrants further study in larger cohorts,” concluded the study authors. –Lisa Kuhns
Reference
Blatz AM, Oboite M, Chiotos K, Castelo-Soccio L, Odom John AR; Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia MIS-C Research Collaborative. Cutaneous findings in SARS-CoV-2-associated multisystem inflammatory disease in children. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2021;8(3):ofab074. doi:10.1093/ofid/ofab074
