Key clinical point: Advanced age, cough as presenting symptom, imatinib treatment, and cardiovascular comorbidities were associated with mortality due to COVID-19 among patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).
Major finding: The incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was 2.5%. The mortality rate was 5.5% among SARS-CoV-2-positive patients and 0.13% in the total cohort of 8,665 CML patients. Predisposing factors among patients who died due to COVID-19 vs. those who remained alive were age > 65 years (83% vs. 70%; P = .03), cough as presenting symptom (50% vs. 28%; P = .001), imatinib therapy (92% vs. 46%; P = .02), and concomitant cardiovascular disorders (50% vs. 13%; P = .001).
Study details : This retrospective study included 8,665 patients with CML followed at 46 centers in Italy between February 2020 and January 2021.
Disclosures: No source of funding or disclosures were reported.
Source: Breccia M et al. Br J Haematol. 2021 Oct 11. doi: 10.1111/bjh.17890.