COVID-19 severity and mortality in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a joint study by ERIC, the European Research Initiative on CLL, and CLL Campus

• Authors: SCARFO L.; CHATZIKONSTANTINOU T.; RIGOLIN G.M.; QUARESMINI G.; MOTTA M.; VITALE C.; GARCIA-MARCO J.A.; HERNANDEZ-RIVAS J.A.; MIRAS F.; BAILE M.; MARQUET J.; NIEMANN C.U.; REDA G.; MUNIR T.; GIMENO E.; MARCHETTI M.; QUAGLIA F.M.; VARETTONI M.; DELGADO J.; IYENGAR S.; JANSSENS A.; MARASCA R.; FERRARI A.; CUELLAR-GARCIA C.; ITCHAKI G.; SPACEK M.; DE PAOLI L.; LAURENTI L.; LEVIN M.D.; LISTA E.; MAURO F.R.; SIMKOVIC M.; VAN DER SPEK E.; VANDENBERGHE E.; TRENTIN L.; WASIK-SZCZEPANEK E.; RUCHLEMER R.; BRON D.; DE PAOLIS M.R.; DEL POETA G.; FARINA L.; FOGLIETTA M.; GENTILE M.; HERISHANU Y.; HEROLD T.; JAKSIC O.; KATER A.P.; KERSTING S.; MALERBA L.; ORSUCCI L.; POPOV V.M.; SPORTOLETTI P.; YASSIN M.; POCALI B.; BARNA G.; CHIARENZA A.; DOS SANTOS G.; NIKITIN E.; ANDRES M.; DIMOU M.; DOUBEK Michael; ENRICO A.; HAKOBYAN Y.; KALASHNIKOVA O.; PAREJA M.O.; PAPAIOANNOU M.; ROSSI D.; SHAH N.; SHRESTHA A.; STANCA O.; STAVROYIANNI N.; STRUGOV V.; TAM C.; ZDRENGHEA M.; COSCIA M.; STAMATOPOULOS K.; ROSSI G.; RAMBALDI A.; MONTSERRAT E.; FOA R.; CUNEO A.; GHIA P.
• Year of publication: 2020
• Type: Article in Periodical
• Magazine / Source: Leukemia
• MU Faculty or unit: Central European Institute of Technology
• Web: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41375-020-0959-x.pdf
• Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41375-020-0959-x
• Keywords: CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS; RISK-FACTORS; MULTICENTER; CANCER; CHINA
• Description: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a disease of the elderly, characterized by immunodeficiency. Hence, patients with CLL might be considered more susceptible to severe complications from COVID-19. We undertook this retrospective international multicenter study to characterize the course of COVID-19 in patients with CLL and identify potential predictors of outcome. Of 190 patients with CLL and confirmed COVID-19 diagnosed between 28/03/2020 and 22/05/2020, 151 (79%) presented with severe COVID-19 (need of oxygen and/or intensive care admission). Severe COVID-19 was associated with more advanced age (>= 65 years) (odds ratio 3.72 [95% CI 1.79-7.71]). Only 60 patients (39.7%) with severe COVID-19 were receiving or had recent (<= 12 months) treatment for CLL at the time of COVID-19 versus 30/39 (76.9%) patients with mild disease. Hospitalization rate for severe COVID-19 was lower (p < 0.05) for patients on ibrutinib versus those on other regimens or off treatment. Of 151 patients with severe disease, 55 (36.4%) succumbed versus only 1/38 (2.6%) with mild disease; age and comorbidities did not impact on mortality. In CLL, (1) COVID-19 severity increases with age; (2) antileukemic treatment (particularly BTK inhibitors) appears to exert a protective effect; (3) age and comorbidities did not impact on mortality, alluding to a relevant role of CLL and immunodeficiency.