Could COVID-19 Trigger Presentation or Exacerbation of Vasculitides? (A 14-Year-Old Girl with Newly Diagnosed GPA After COVID-19 Infection)

Abstract

Introduction: Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a kind of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), which involves small-to-medium-sized vessels. Besides, GPA usually involves the upper and lower respiratory tract, and also causes necrotizing glomerulonephritis. The involvement of the heart and gastrointestinal (GI) tract in GPA is unusual, and these are atypical places of this vasculitis. Case Presentation: A 14-year-old girl with a newly diagnosed GPA after afflicting with COVID-19 infection presented with ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction (MI), GI perforation, and intracranial hemorrhage. Conclusions: Although GPA is rare in the pediatric population, it might occur in this age group and could involve multiple organ systems.