Cardiac and vegetative manifestations of long-COVID in children

Abstract

Approximately 5–15% of children develop post-COVID-19 syndrome after SARS-CoV-2 infection, which manifests itself with various pathological symptoms for more than 12 weeks. Cardiovascular symptoms range from serious myocardial inflammation, manifestations of essential hypertension to signs of autonomic dysfunction with a tendency to hypersympathicotonia, which negatively affects the quality of life of children. We report a case of subacute myocarditis in a patient with long-COVID after a low-symptomatic acute disease. This case illustrates high clinical significance of timely diagnosis of long-COVID using gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, which was performed in our country for the first time in pediatric practice. We developed criteria for early diagnosis of autonomic dysfunction specific for children and adolescents. We also developed treatment recommendations, including behavioral therapy, drug, and non-drug treatments. Key words: long-COVID, autonomic dysfunction, hypersympathicotonia, myocarditis, behavioral therapy, non-drug treatment