UAE study finds possible genetic links to rare life-threatening Covid complication in children

UAE study finds possible genetic links to rare life-threatening Covid complication in children

The data was collected from dozens of Arab children in Dubai and Jordan

By A Staff Reporter Published: Wed 6 Jul 2022, 1:46 PM

A new study suggests that genetic factors may lead to multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a rare but life-threatening complication of Covid-19.

This condition is characterized by intense inflammation (cytokine storm) and can affect multiple organs including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs. It can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated promptly.

So far it is not clear why certain children develop this complication. This study provides new evidence on the potential genetic factors related to MIS-C.

The study, funded by the Al Jalila Foundation and published in JAMA Network Open, was led by scientists from the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) and Al Jalila Children’s Hospital. It involved genetic and clinical data of dozens of Arab children in Dubai and Jordan.

The study analysed clinical, laboratory markers, and genomic findings of 70 predominantly Middle Eastern children who had Covid-19, of whom 45 met the case definition of MIS-C while 25 did not and were included as ‘controls’.

Patients were treated at Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital in the UAE as well