ABSTRACT
Background. Given the limited collaborative international studies that evaluated COVID-19 in patients with cancer in comparison to patients without cancer, we aimed to determine the independent risk factors associated with increased 30-day mortality and the impact of novel treatment modalities in a large group of cancer and non-cancer patients with COVID-19 from multiple countries. Methods. We retrospectively collected de-identified data on cancer and non-cancer patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between January and November 2020, at 16 centers in Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. A logistic regression model was used to identify independent predictors of all-cause mortality within 30 days after COVID-19 diagnosis. Results. Of the total 4015 COVID-19 confirmed patients entered, we analyzed 3966 patients, 1115 cancer and 2851 non-cancer patients. Cancer patients were older than non-cancer patients (median age, 61 vs 50 years;p< 0.0001);more likely to be pancytopenic , had pulmonary disorders, hypertension, diabetes mellitus. In addition, they were more likely to present with higher inflammatory biomarkers (D-dimer, ferritin and procalcitonin), but were less likely to present with clinical symptoms. By multivariable logistic regression analysis, cancer was an independent risk factor for 30-day mortality (OR 1.46;95% CI 1.03 to 2.07;p=0.035). Older age (≥65 years) was the strongest predictor of 30-day mortality in all patients (OR 4.55;95% CI 3.34 to 6.20;p< 0.0001). Remdesivir was the only therapeutic agent independently associated with decreased 30-day mortality (OR 0.58;CI 0.39-0.88;p=0.009). Among patients on lowflow oxygen at admission, patients who received remdesivir had a lower 30-day mortality rate than those who were on high flow oxygen (5.9% vs 17.6%;p=0.03). Patients transfused with convalescent plasma within 1 day of diagnosis had a lower 30-day mortality rate than those transfused later (1% vs 7%, p=0.04). Conclusion. Cancer is an independent risk factor for increased 30-day all-cause mortality from COVID-19. Remdesivir, particularly in patients receiving low-flow oxygen, can reduce 30-day all-cause mortality, as well as convalescent plasma given early after COVID-19 diagnosis.
ABSTRACT
Background. An increasing number of observational studies have reported the persistence of symptoms following recovery from acute COVID-19 disease. The long-term consequences of COVID-19 are not fully understood and there is no clear consensus on the definition of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). The reported prevalence of PASC widely varies from 10% up to 87%. The purpose of this study is to assess PASC in cancer patients following acute COVID-19 recovery. Methods. We assessed cancer patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center who were diagnosed with COVID-19 disease between March 1, 2020 and Sept 1, 2020. Using patient questionnaires and medical chart reviews we followed these patients from March 2020 till May 2021. Patient questionnaires were sent out remotely daily for 14 days after COVID-19 diagnosis then weekly for 3 months, and then monthly thereafter. Chart reviews were conducted for each patient hospital re-admission and emergency department visit. These admissions were classified as either COVID-19 related or non-related. The persistence or emergence of new COVID19-related symptoms were captured at each COVID-19 related admission. Results. We included 312 cancer patients with a median age of 57 years (18-86). The majority of patients had solid tumors (75%). Of the 312 patients, 188 (60%) reported long COVID-19 symptoms with a median duration of 7 months and up to 14 months after COVID-19 diagnosis. The most common symptoms reported included fatigue (82%), sleep disturbances (78%), myalgias (67%) and gastrointestinal symptoms (61%), followed by headache, altered smell or taste, dyspnea (47%) and cough (46%). A higher number of females reported a persistence of symptoms compared to males (63% vs 37%;p=0.036). Cancer type, neutropenia, lymphocytopenia, and hospital admission during acute COVID-19 disease were comparable in both groups and did not seem to contribute to a higher number of long-COVID-19 patients in our study group. Conclusion. Long-COVID occurs in 60% of cancer patients and may persist up to 14 months after acute illness. The most common symptoms are fatigue, sleep disturbance, myalgia and gastro-intestinal symptoms.