Diorio C, Henrickson SE, Vella LA, et al. - Researchers sought to report on unique hematologic and immunologic parameters that may allow differentiation of COVID-19 from MIS-C and provided insight into pathophysiology. They prospectively enrolled 20 patients with evidence of SARS–CoV-2 infection (9 severe COVID-19, 5 minimal COVID-19, and 6 MIS-C). Pediatric patients with SARS–CoV-2 are noted to be at risk for critical illness with severe COVID-19 and MIS-C. Analysis of five cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α) was done. Discrimination between patients with MIS-C and severe COVID-19 was enabled by TNF-α and IL-10. The presence of burr cells on blood smears, as well as cycle thresholds, allowed differentiation between patients with severe COVID-19 and those with MIS-C. Observations thereby suggest a possibility of differentiation between patients with MIS-C and those with severe COVID-19 using cytokine profiling and examination of peripheral blood smears.