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CLINICAL TRIAL article

Front. Immunol.
Sec. Viral Immunology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1408969
This article is part of the Research Topic Immunogenetics in times of COVID-19 pandemic View all 18 articles

Risk factors for COVID-19 pneumonia in patients with hematological malignancies: A multi-center, prospective study in China

Provisionally accepted
Jun Li Jun Li 1Ran Chen Ran Chen 2Lin Cao Lin Cao 1Liu Yi Liu Yi 1Yong Zhang Yong Zhang 3Xia Wei Xia Wei 3Zhanshu Liu Zhanshu Liu 4Zailiang Yang Zailiang Yang 5Ling Liu Ling Liu 6Meiyu Zhou Meiyu Zhou 5Guofa Xu Guofa Xu 5Lanting Chen Lanting Chen 4Yao Ding Yao Ding 1Haike Lei Haike Lei 7Lisheng Liu Lisheng Liu 8Zailin Yang Zailin Yang 1Shuang Chen Shuang Chen 1Xiaomei Zhang Xiaomei Zhang 1Yifeng Tang Yifeng Tang 1Huihui Fu Huihui Fu 1Sanxiu He Sanxiu He 1Qing Xiao Qing Xiao 1Xiaoqing Xie Xiaoqing Xie 1Qiying Li Qiying Li 1Yingyu Nan Yingyu Nan 1Jieping Li Jieping Li 1Xiaoliang Chen Xiaoliang Chen 1Yao Liu Yao Liu 1*
  • 1 Department of Hematology and Oncology, Cancer Hospital, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
  • 2 Center for Mental Health, University-Town Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
  • 3 Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, Sichuan Province, China
  • 4 Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
  • 5 Fuling Central Hospital, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
  • 6 Department of Medical Laboratory, People’s Hospital of Chongqing Liang Jiang New Area, Chongqing, China
  • 7 Cancer Hospital, Chongqing University, Chongqing, Anhui, China
  • 8 Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cancer Hospital, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Purpose: We aimed to investigate risk factors for COVID-19 pneumonia in patients with hematological malignancies (HM) after Omicron infection. Methods: Data from a registered multi-center, prospective, observational study (ChiCTR2300071830) during the latest Omicron BA.5.2 wave in Chongqing, China was used for analysis. Results: A total of 475 HM patients enrolled in this study. COVID-19 pneumonia was observed in 15.8% (75/475) of patients, with a median age of 58 years (interquartile range [IQR], 48-69 years) and males accounting for 61.3%. Risk factors associated with COVID-19 pneumonia included: 1) Active disease status of HM at infection, with an odds ratio (OR) of 3.42 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.59-7.37, P=0.002) compared to complete remission (CR); 2) Incomplete COVID-19 vaccination, 1-2 doses of the vaccine (OR=2.55, 95% CI: 1.28-5.10, P=0.008) or no vaccination (OR=4.81, 95% CI: 2.45-9.43, P<0.001), as opposed to 3 doses (booster); 3) chemotherapy prior to infection, <6 months (OR=2.58, 95% CI: 1.12-5.96, P=0.027) or ≥ 6 months (OR=2.93, 95% CI: 1.31-6.53, P=0.009) compared to no chemotherapy history; 4) NK-cell reduction (< 150/μL) (OR=2.19, 95% CI: 1.27-3.79, P=0.005) versus a normal range of NK cells. During the 6-week follow-up period, 12 patients (2.5%) died, accounting for 16% of COVID-19 pneumonia patients. Conclusions: Our study investigated risk factors for COVID-19 pneumonia in HM patients after Omicron BA.5.2 infection. Highlights that HM patients with these risk factors may be susceptible to lung involvement after Omicron BA.5.2 infection and need to be taken seriously in clinical practice.

    Keywords: COVID-19 pneumonia, Omicron BA.5.2, SARS-CoV-2, hematological malignancies, Risk factors

    Received: 29 Mar 2024; Accepted: 18 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Li, Chen, Cao, Yi, Zhang, Wei, Liu, Yang, Liu, Zhou, Xu, Chen, Ding, Lei, Liu, Yang, Chen, Zhang, Tang, Fu, He, Xiao, Xie, Li, Nan, Li, Chen and Liu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Yao Liu, Department of Hematology and Oncology, Cancer Hospital, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China

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