COVID-19 in Children - A Review with a Focus on Pediatric Rheumatic Diseases

When compared with adults, children are less commonly symptomatic when having acute COVID-19 infection. It is yet not clear why COVID-19 appears to be less severe in children than in adults. Multiple factors might play a role such as colonization of upper respiratory tracts of children with various microorganisms which may complete with SARS-CoV2; more robust innate immune response; different expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme II receptor. However, some children have significant respiratory disease, and some children may develop postinfectious Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). Among adult and pediatric patients with rheumatic disease receiving anti-rheumatic drugs, COVID-19 incidence rate is comparable with general populations and no increased risk of severe COVID-19 is being observed. There are few studies reporting COVID-19 in pediatric patients with rheumatic diseases. The control of the underlying rheumatic disease is of primary importance given the increased infection susceptibility carried by an active inflammatory status.

 

Keywords: COVID-19; children; pediatric rheumatic diseases.