ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: COVID-19 infection can be especially severe in certain risk populations such as patients with hematologic malignancies. Aim: To describe the characteristics and clinical outcomes of a population of patients with hematologic malignancies and COVID-19. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Review of medical records of patients with COVID-19 and hematologic malignancies, treated in Hematology Service of a regional hospital in Chile, between April 1 and October 30, 2020. Demographic characteristics, chronic comorbidities and clinical characteristics related to the underlying disease and COVID-19 infection were recorded. Results: Thirty adults aged 17 to 73 years (67% men) with COVID-19 confirmed by RT-PCR, were evaluated. Forty percent had comorbidities, mainly hypertension (30%), obesity (27%) and diabetes (10%). Two thirds of cases came from a nosocomial outbreak and 77% were symptomatic. Half of the cases had mild disease and 20% required mechanical ventilation. Five patients (17%) died from COVID 19. Female sex, the presence of comorbidities and obesity were more common among deceased patients. Only 1 of 5 deceased patients were in complete remission. No differences were found in the mean survival according to requirement for intubation or the presence of complete remission. CONCLUSIONS: This population with hematologic malignancies and COVID-19 had special characteristics leading to a greater fatality rate which, in this series, does not increase with the use of mechanical ventilation.