Research Article: Home-Based Exercise Training in the Recovery of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children: A Case Series Study
Abstract:
Objective: To assess the potential therapeutic role of exercise on health-related quality of life, assessed by the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI), coronary flow reserve (CFR), cardiac function, cardiorespiratory fitness, and inflammatory and cardiac blood markers in multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) patients. Methods: This is a case series study of a 12-wk, home-based exercise intervention in children and adolescents after MIS-C diagnosis. From 16 MIS-C patients followed at our clinic, 6 were included (age: 7–16 years; 3 females). Three of them withdrew before the intervention and served as controls. The primary outcome was health-related quality of life, assessed PODCI. Secondary outcomes were CFR assessed by 13N-ammonia PET-CT imaging, cardiac function by echocardiography, cardiorespiratory fitness, and inflammatory and cardiac blood markers. Results: In general, patients showed poor health-related quality of life, which seemed to be improved with exercise. Additionally, exercised patients showed improvements in coronary flow reserve, cardiac function, and aerobic conditioning. Non-exercised patients exhibited a slower pattern of recovery, particularly in relation to health-related quality of life and aerobic conditioning. Conclusions: Our results suggest that exercise may play a therapeutic role in the treatment of post-discharge MIS-C patients. As our design does not allow inferring causality, randomized controlled trials are necessary to confirm these preliminary findings.
Introduction:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has impacted children and adolescents, with most cases being mild or asymptomatic [1]. However, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) may manifest as a rare complication 4 weeks after the SARS-CoV-2 infection, resulting in multiorgan system dysfunction, several clinical manifestations, and the need for pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) hospitalization [2,3,4,5].
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