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Getting to the Heart of MIS-C and Myocarditis with Dr. Tyler Harris

Released: 4/5/2022

In May 2020, many countries that had an outbreak of COVID-19 began reporting an inflammatory syndrome in some children. We now refer to that syndrome as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C for short.

MIS-C is a shock-like condition in which different body parts can become inflamed including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes or gastrointestinal (digestive) organs. MIS-C shares some clinical symptoms seen in Kawasaki disease, an illness that is most common in young children.

In this episode of "That’s Pediatrics", our experts talk with Tyler Harris, MD, a pediatric cardiologist at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, about MIS-C and specifically myocarditis – or inflammation of the heart – that can occur in children who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or have received the vaccine.

In this episode our experts discuss:

  • How things will change as vaccination of children for COVID-19 continues to increase (9:41)
  • What myocarditis is (12:26)
  • The different ways that myocarditis is related to COVID-19 (15:05)
  • Symptoms concerning for myocarditis that should prompt parents to seek attention for their child (24:01)
  • Risk factors that pre-dispose people to get myocarditis from COVID-19 or the vaccine (25:50)
  • The likelihood of children recovering from myocarditis (29:22)

Treating Children with Myocarditis at the UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Heart Institute

Our team of pediatric heart specialists, nurses, and technicians is experienced with every type of heart condition – including myocarditis — and we're dedicated to providing the best care for patients from before birth through childhood and adolescence, and into adulthood. Refer a patient to the Heart Institute at UPMC Children’s.

Meet Our Guest

Tyler H. Harris, MDTyler H. Harris, MD, is associate program director for Cardiology at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and a pediatric cardiologist within UPMC’s Heart and Vascular Institute. He is also an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He received his medical degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and completed his pediatrics residency and pediatric cardiology fellowship at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Dr. Harris’s clinical interests include inpatient cardiology, Kawasaki disease, and complex pediatrics patients with congenital heart disease. He has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals and is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), AAP Section of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery, Society of Pediatric Cardiology Training Program Directors, and Association of Pediatric Program Directors.

Meet Our Hosts

Amanda Poholek, PhDAmanda Poholek, PhD, is director of the Health Science Sequencing Core Facility at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and an assistant professor of Pediatrics and Immunology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Fordham University and her doctorate degree in cell biology from Yale University. She also completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Poholek’s lab at UPMC Children’s studies immune cells and how transcriptomics and epigenetics contribute to health and disease.

Arvind Srinath, MD, MSArvind Srinath, MD, MS, is the Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship program director at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and an associate professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He received his bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine before completing a residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital, a fellowship at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and a master’s degree in medical education at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Srinath’s areas of interest are curricular development, functional gastrointestinal disorders, and telehealth. Find him on Twitter: @Srinath_Arvind.

Disclaimer

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical care or advice. Clinicians should rely on their own medical judgements when advising their patients. Patients in need of medical care should consult their personal care provider.