SARS-CoV-2 infection among patients with haematological disorders: Severity and one-month outcome in 66 Danish patients in a nationwide cohort study.

Glenthøj, Andreas; Jakobsen, Lasse H; Sengeløv, Henrik; Ahmad, Syed A; Qvist, Kristian; Rewes, Annika; Poulsen, Christian B; Overgaard, Ulrik M; Mølle, Ingolf; Severinsen, Marianne T; Strandholdt, Casper N; Maibom, Jack; Kodahl, Annette R; Ryg, Jesper; Ravn, Pernille; Johansen, Isik S; Helsø, Søren N; Jensen-Fangel, Søren; Kisielewicz, Jacek; Wiese, Lothar; Helleberg, Marie; Kirk, Ole; Clausen, Michael R; Frederiksen, Henrik

OBJECTIVES Patients with haematological disorders may be particularly vulnerable to respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, however this is unknown. METHODS We conducted a prospective, nationwide study including 66 patients in follow-up at Danish haematology departments with a malignant or non-malignant haematological disorder and with verified SARS-CoV-2 infection. Outcomes were intensive care unit (ICU) admission and one-month survival rate. RESULTS Mean age was 66.7 years, 60.6% were males, 90.9% had comorbidity, and 13.6% had a BMI ≥30. The most frequent diagnoses were chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/lymphoma (47.0%), multiple myeloma (16.7%), and acute leukaemia/myelodysplastic syndrome (AL/MDS) (12.1%). Treatment for the haematological disease was ongoing in 59.1% of cases. Neutropenia was present in 6.5%, lymphopenia in 46.6%, and hypogammaglobulinaemia in 26·3%. The SARS-CoV-2 infection was mild in 50·0%, severe in 36·4%, and critical in 13.6%. After one month, 21.2% had been admitted to ICU, and 24.2% died. Mortality was highest in older patients, patients with severe/critical SARS-CoV-2 infection, high comorbidity score or high performance status score, purine analogue treatment, and with AL/MDS. Although older patients and patients with comorbidities had the highest mortality rates, mortality was considerable among all haematological patients. CONCLUSION Haematological patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection has a severe clinical.