Investigation of FCGR2A gene polymorphism in COVID-19 associated multisystem inflammatory syndrome

The aim of this thesis study is to investigate the significance of FCGR2A rs1801274 gene polymorphism in patients with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). The study was conducted at Mersin University Hospital's Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Pediatric Cardiology Clinics between October 1, 2020, and April 1, 2022 with 35 MIS-C patients and 36 healthy controls. Demographic and clinical data of the participants, as well as electrocardiography (ECG) and echocardiography (ECHO) findings, and genetic evaluation results for FCGR2A rs1801274, were compared between the two groups. Additionally, this comparison was conducted between mild and severe MIS-C patients based on clinical severity. Although homozygous FCGR2A rs1801274 gene polymorphism was more common in MIS-C patients, it was not statistically significant when compared to controls. In MIS-C patients, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, hemoglobin, and hematocrit values were lower, while ProBNP and Troponin I were higher. In the electrocardiography (ECG) evaluation, MIS-C patients had a higher heart rate while having a lower QTd. In the echocardiography (ECHO) evaluation, MIS-C patients had a wider left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and a decrease in both mitral E and mitral A velocities. Systolic dysfunction was observed in six patients, and diastolic dysfunction in eight patients. The median age of severe MIS-C patients was significantly higher than that of mild MIS-C patients. While mild and severe MIS-C patients were similar in terms of FCGR2A rs1801274 gene polymorphism, severe MIS-C patients had significantly lower ejection fraction and fractional shortening values. This is the first study to search the relationship between MIS-C development and FCGR2A rs1801274 gene polymorphism. Even if no statistical significant difference found between development and severity of MIS-C and FCGR2A rs1801274 gene polymorphism, multicenter studies with larger population are stil needed to clarify this relationship. Keywords: Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, Genetic Evaluation, FCGR2A, Gene Polymorphism, Cardiovascular system