ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the clinical manifestations, course and outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection among children and adolescents with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD). Due to their underlying disease as well due to therapeutic immunosuppression, these patients may be at risk for a severe course of COVID-19 or for a flare of the underlying disease triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection.MethodsDemographic, clinical and treatment data from juvenile patients with RMD as well as data about SARS-CoV-2 infection like test date and method, clinical characteristics, disease course, outcome and impact on the disease activity of the RMD were documented on a specific SARS-CoV-2 questionnaire implemented in the National Paediatric Rheumatology Database (NPRD) in Germany. The survey data were analysed descriptively.ResultsFrom 17 April 2020 to 16 February 2021, data were collected from 76 patients (52% female) with RMD and laboratory-proven SARS-CoV-2 infection with median age of 14 years, diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (58%), autoinflammatory (24%) and connective tissue disease (8%). Fifty-eight patients (76%) received disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), 41% biological DMARDs and 11% systemic glucocorticoids. Fifty-eight (76%) had symptoms of COVID-19. Disease course of SARS-CoV-2 infection (classified as asymptomatic, mild, moderate, severe, life-threatening) was mild and outcome of COVID-19 (classified as recovered, not yet recovered, permanent damage or deceased) was good (recovered) in the majority of patients. Two patients were hospitalised, one of whom required intensive care and died of cardiorespiratory failure. In 84% of SARS-CoV-2-positive patients, no relevant increase in disease activity of the RMD was observed.ConclusionsIn our cohort, SARS-CoV-2 infection in juvenile patients with RMD under various medications was mild with good outcome in the majority of cases and does not appear to have a relevant impact on disease activity of the underlying condition.

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ZusammenfassungEine Besonderheit des seltenen Sweet-Syndroms des Kindesalters ist die fakultative Abheilung in Form einer postinflammatorischen Elastolyse mit erworbener Cutis laxa, die nach dem Erstbeschreiber als Marshall-Syndrom benannt wird. Wir berichten von einem 3‑jährigen Kind, bei dem ein derartiges Sweet-Syndrom zur Erstdiagnose einer Takayasu-Arteriitis führte. Die postinflammatorische Elastolyse mit erworbener Cutis laxa stellt beim kindlichen Sweet-Syndrom einen klinisch relevanten kutanen Indikator für lebensbedrohliche kardiale Gefäßkomplikationen wie Aortitis, Aortenaneurysma, Koronararterienstenose und Herzversagen dar. Da das Cutis-laxa-artig abheilende Sweet-Syndrom den kardialen Komplikationen zumeist zeitlich vorausgeht oder wie in unserem Fall simultan auftritt, sollten die betroffenen Patienten umgehend kardiologisch und rheumatologisch untersucht werden, um bei vaskulärer Beteiligung einen komplikativen Verlauf durch frühe antiinflammatorische und immunmodulierende Systemtherapie zu verhindern.

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Objectives: Due to their underlying disease as well as therapeutic immunosuppression, children and adolescents with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) may be at higher risk for a severe course or worse outcome of COVID-19, and SARS-CoV2 infection may trigger a flare of the RMD. To address these issues, a specific SARS-CoV-2 questionnaire was implemented in the National Pediatric Rheumatology Database (NPRD) in Germany. Methods: Demographic, clinical and treatment data from juvenile patients with RMD as well as data about SARS-CoV-2 infection like test date and method, clinical characteristics, disease course, outcome and impact on the disease activity of the RMD documented on this questionnaire were analyzed. Results: From April 17th, 2020, to February 14th, 2021, data were collected from 79 patients (53% female) with RMD with median age of 14 years, diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (57%), autoinflammatory (23%) and connective tissue disease (8%). Sixty-one patients (77%) received disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), 43% biologic DMARDs, and 9% systemic glucocorticoids. Sixty patients (76%) developed symptoms of COVID-19. Disease severity was mild and outcome was good in the majority of patients. Two patients were hospitalized, one of whom required intensive care and died of cardiorespiratory failure. In 84% of SARS-CoV-2-positive patients, no relevant increase in disease activity of the RMD was observed. Conclusions: In our cohort, COVID-19 in juvenile patients with RMD under various medications was mild with good outcome in the majority of cases. SARS-CoV-2 infection does not appear to have a relevant impact on disease activity of the underlying condition.