Bengaluru teen with Covid-19 winds up at hospital with severe complications

Doctors diagnosed her with Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, with multiorgan dysfunction hypotension

While children are largely believed to be immune to Covid-19 complications, a 14-year-old girl with the disease ended up at the hospital with serious issues.

On October 14, Swetha (name changed) was rushed to Rainbow Hospital on Bannerghatta Road after she developed breathing problems and displayed a low oxygen saturation of 85%.

Swetha, a resident of Arekere in Mico Layout, also had altered sensorium, a noted post-Covid-19 medical condition characterised by an inability to think clearly.

That was not all.

Dr Sridhar M, the pediatrician who handled her case, said the girl had a fever at the time of her admission. A closer medical examination also revealed that Swetha was close to suffering kidney failure, had cardiac manifestations and low blood pressure.

“When we looked into her medical history, we found that she had never been recognised as a Covid-19 patient, but she had all the effects of the disease. Her RT-PCR for Covid-19 was negative and her Covid serology came positive,” he said, adding that the patient was immediately put on a ventilator.

“Her initial X-rays showed bilateral infiltrates. We initially thought she may have had Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), which is associated with Covid-19, but then her Positive End-Expiratory Pressure (PEEP) requirement (the pressure in the lungs above the pressure outside the body existing after exhaling) came down rapidly, suggesting a cardiac edema,” Dr Sridhar explained.

The doctors diagnosed her with PIMS-TS (Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome) with multiorgan dysfunction hypotension.

According to The Lancet, PIMS-TS is a novel condition in children who have survived Covid-19, which was first reported in April.

An examination of Swetha’s medical history also revealed that she had developed a fever first on October 12, followed by breathing problems.

She had no recorded comorbidities and was likely completely asymptomatic during her Covid-19 infection.

“Despite having no symptoms during the period of her Covid-19 infection and despite being totally healthy, she developed PIMS-TS,” Dr Sridhar said.

He added, however, that she was discharged on October 26. “At the time, she was on nasogastric tube feed, her vitals were stable, her fever spikes had reduced and she was able to maintain her saturations at room air. A follow-up visit showed that she was doing well,” he said.