CHASM: Children Hospitalizations After SARS-COV-2 for MIS-C

PROJECT SUMMARYOverview of Project: Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) is a seriouscondition affecting children after COVID-19 infection. MIS-C commonly results in severe criticalillness and even death. We will provide an examination of MIS-C in 49 childrens hospitalsthroughout the United States. In this proposal, we will advance knowledge on MIS-C severity ofillness as well as evaluate initial treatment regimens. We will describe differences in initialtreatment decisions and their associated risk of treatment failure. The completion of this workwill result in new knowledge regarding the most effective initial treatments for MIS-C.Environment: Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) is the second largestpediatric recipient of funding from the NIH. Drs. Auger and Brady are members of the Division ofHospital Medicine at CCHMC. This division is among the most research-oriented pediatrichospital medicine divisions in the country with a focus on hospital quality and safety and withfour faculty members currently on AHRQ grants. Both Pls receive extensive support includingcomputers and software, biostatistical advisors, data management support, clinical researchcoordinators, grants management support, and discretionary funds. Drs. Auger and Brady arealso a members of CCHMCs James M. Anderson Center for Health Systems Excellence, anationally renowned research division that focuses on assessing and improving pediatric healthcare delivery. This proposal additionally leverages the vast resources of the Childrens HospitalAssociation (CHA) and its experienced biostatistical and data analysis team. Dr. Matt Hall as theprincipal biostatistician at CHA has a decade-plus experience using the Pediatric Healthinformation System (PHIS) to ask and answer epidemiologic and comparative effectivenessresearch questions. He has an extensive record of collaboration with the entire research team,having coauthored over 100 publications with members of this team.Summary: This innovative proposal will generate new, significant knowledge on both theepidemiology and management of MIS-C. This critically important information is foundational forfuture randomized controlled trials for MIS-C treatment and for development of evidence-basedtreatment algorithms and pathways.