Impact of social determinants of health on the outcomes of Latin American children with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C)

Importance: There is growing understanding that Social Determinants of Health (SDH) impact on the outcomes of different pediatric conditions. We aimed to determine whether SDH affect the severity of MIS-C. Design: Retrospective cohort study, 2021–2023. Children and adolescents with MIS-C younger than 18 years of age fulfilling the MIS-C CDC definition within the REKAMLATINA network were invited to participate. We assessed the impact of SDH on the risk of children with MIS-C to be diagnosed with shock, need of inotropes, respiratory support, transfusion, and death. Results: Two hundred and seventy seven patients from 30 centers in 13 countries were included. Of them, 241 children from the four most-represented countries were included in the final analysis. Food insecurity, higher distance from a health center, not possessing a private vehicle to transport the patient to hospital, and having a home in poor condition, were associated with low LVEF, need of transfusion, shock, and need for respiratory support, when controlling for age, BMI, and ethnicity. The Score of Social Disadvantage was associated with Shock (OR: 1.35, P: 0.011, 95% CI: 1.07–1.71), Respiratory support (OR: 1.39, P: 0.005, 95% CI: 1.1–1.75), Transfusion (OR: 1.63, P0.013, 95% CI 1.1–2.41), but not death (OR: 0.76, P: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.41–1.40). Conclusions: Among a large cohort of Latin American children with MIS-C, SDH negatively affect outcomes. These findings reinforce the need for better investigation of the role of SDH in MIS-C and other inflammatory conditions and may guide public health interventions.