Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Adults

A rare, inflammatory disease associated with COVID-19 originally seen almost exclusively in children that has recently emerged in adults. It is characterized by dusky-red circular patches on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet, pink eyes and chapped lips. Many MIS-A patients report fevers, chest pain or other heart problems, diarrhea or other gastrointestinal issues "” but not shortness of breath. Diagnostic tests for Covid-19 tend to be negative; instead, patients will test positive for Covid-19 antibodies, meaning they were infected two to six weeks previously even if they never had symptoms. Patients usually have some kind of severe dysfunction of at least one organ, such as the heart or the liver. Far too few cases have been reported to fully understand the underlying mechanisms at play. MIS-A can be life threatening and there is no proven treatment.