Cited by 625COVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesCOVID-19 and healthcare impactsNeutropenia and Cancer Infections

Outcomes of patients with hematologic malignancies and COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 3377 patients

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Vijenthira, Abi, Gong, Inna Y., Fox, Thomas A., Booth, Stephen, Cook, Gordon, Fattizzo, Bruno, Martín-Moro, Fernando, Razanamahery, Jerome +11 more·2020·Blood

Abstract

Outcomes for patients with hematologic malignancy infected with COVID-19 have not been aggregated. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the risk of death and other important outcomes for these patients. We searched PubMed and EMBASE up to 20 August 2020 to identify reports of patients with hematologic malignancy and COVID-19. The primary outcome was a pooled mortality estimate, considering all patients and only hospitalized patients. Secondary outcomes included risk of intensive care unit admission and ventilation in hospitalized patients. Subgroup analyses included mortality stratified by age, treatment status, and malignancy subtype. Pooled prevalence, risk ratios (RRs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model. Thirty-four adult and 5 pediatric studies (3377 patients) from Asia, Europe, and North America were included (14 of 34 adult studies included only hospitalized patients). Risk of death among adult patients was 34% (95% CI, 28-39; N = 3240) in this sample of predominantly hospitalized patients. Patients aged ≥60 years had a significantly higher risk of death than patients <60 years (RR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.45-2.27; N = 1169). The risk of death in pediatric patients was 4% (95% CI, 1-9; N = 102). RR of death comparing patients with recent systemic anticancer therapy to no treatment was 1.17 (95% CI, 0.83-1.64; N = 736). Adult patients with hematologic malignancy and COVID-19, especially hospitalized patients, have a high risk of dying. Patients ≥60 years have significantly higher mortality; pediatric patients appear to be relatively spared. Recent cancer treatment does not appear to significantly increase the risk of death.

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Crossref · 10.1182/blood.2020008824

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  • Of the 19 deaths due to adverse events in this study, 12 were attributed to Covid-19, which was consistent with the higher mortality observed from Covid-19 in patients with hematologic cancers during this time frame.

    “Of the 19 deaths due to adverse events in our study, 12 were attributed to Covid-19, which was consistent with the higher mortality observed from Covid-19 in patients with hematologic cancers during this time frame.24”

    From Teclistamab in Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma (2022) · cites this paper as [24]

  • A study with a JBI score of ≥6 was considered to be at low risk of bias.

    “In line with previous studies, a study with a score of ≥6 was considered to be at low risk of bias.21,22”

    From Adherence to PCSK9 Inhibitors in Clinical Practice (2026) · cites this paper as [22]

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Authors
Vijenthira, A., Gong, I. Y., Fox, T. A., Booth, S., Cook, G., Fattizzo, B., Martín-Moro, F., Razanamahery, J., Riches, J. C., Zwicker, J., Patell, R., Vekemans, M. C., Scarfò, L., Chatzikonstantinou, T., Yildiz, H., Lattenist, R., Mantzaris, I., Wood, W. A., & Hicks, L. K.
Affiliations
  • Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (CA)
  • University of Toronto (CA)
  • University College Hospital (GB)
  • University of Oxford (GB)
  • University of Leeds (GB)
  • University of Milan (IT)
  • Department of Hematology, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain;
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Besançon University Hospital, Besançon, France;
  • Queen Mary University of London (GB)
  • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA;
  • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (US)
  • Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc (BE)
  • Vita-Salute San Raffaele University (IT)
  • G. Papanikolaou General Hospital (GR)
  • Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium;
  • Montefiore Medical Center (US)
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
  • St. Michael's Hospital (CA)
Corresponding author
Hicks, Lisa K.
Venue
Blood
Published
2020-12-17
Volume
136
Issue
25
Pages
2881-2892
ISSN
  • 0006-4971 (ISSN-L)
  • 1528-0020
OpenAlex
W3097738396
Cited by
625
References
73
Citations by year
2026: 15 · 2025: 43 · 2024: 87 · 2023: 115 · 2022: 204 · 2021: 156 · 2020: 4
FWCI
5.66
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Blood (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Digital Access to Libraries (Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), l'Université de Namur (UNamur) and the Université Saint-Louis (USL-B)) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
  • Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca - Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele (submittedVersion)
  • Queen Mary Research Online (Queen Mary University of London) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › COVID-19 and healthcare impacts
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Neutropenia and Cancer Infections
Keywords
COVID-19 pandemic, hematologic malignancies, mortality, hospitalized patients, intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation, age as risk factor, pediatric patients
MeSH terms
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Hospitalization, Humans, Intensive Care Units, Prognosis, Survival Rate, Hematologic Neoplasms

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