loading page

INITIAL REPORT ON SPANISH PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGIC, HEMATOLOGIC AND POST STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION PATIENTS DURING SARS-COV-2 PANDEMIC
  • +29
  • Anna Faura Morros,
  • Susana Rives Solà,
  • ALVARO LASSALETTA,
  • Elena Sebastián,
  • Luis Madero,
  • Jorge Huerta Aragonés,
  • Marina García-Morin,
  • Antonio Perez Martinez,
  • Luisa Sisinni,
  • Itziar Astigarraga,
  • Pablo Velasco,
  • Luis Gros,
  • Lucas Moreno,
  • Ana Carboné,
  • Carmen Rodriguez-Vigil,
  • Susana Riesco,
  • Maria del Carmen Mendoza Sanchez,
  • Elena Garcia Macias,
  • Maria Trabazo,
  • Montserrat Torrent,
  • Isabel Badell,
  • José Luis Fuster Soler,
  • Nerea Domínguez-Pinilla,
  • Antonio Juan Ribelles,
  • Vanesa Pérez-Alonso,
  • Manuel Fernández Sanmartin,
  • Marta Baragaño,
  • Maite Gorostegui,
  • Sara Perez-Jaume,
  • Ana Fernández-Teijeiro,
  • Andres Morales La Madrid,
  • Jose Luis Dapena
Anna Faura Morros
Hospital Sant Joan de Déu

Corresponding Author:afauram@sjdhospitalbarcelona.org

Author Profile
Susana Rives Solà
Hospital Sant Joan de Deu
Author Profile
ALVARO LASSALETTA
Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús
Author Profile
Elena Sebastián
Hospital Infantil Universitario Nino Jesus
Author Profile
Luis Madero
Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús
Author Profile
Jorge Huerta Aragonés
Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón
Author Profile
Marina García-Morin
Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon
Author Profile
Antonio Perez Martinez
Hospital Universitario La Paz
Author Profile
Luisa Sisinni
Hospital Universitario La Paz
Author Profile
Itziar Astigarraga
Hospital Universitario Cruces, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, UPV/EHU
Author Profile
Pablo Velasco
Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron
Author Profile
Luis Gros
Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron
Author Profile
Lucas Moreno
Vall d'Hebron Hospital
Author Profile
Ana Carboné
Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet
Author Profile
Carmen Rodriguez-Vigil
Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet
Author Profile
Susana Riesco
Hospital Clínico de Salamanca
Author Profile
Maria del Carmen Mendoza Sanchez
Hospital Clínico de Salamanca
Author Profile
Elena Garcia Macias
Hospital Universitario Son Espases
Author Profile
Maria Trabazo
Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau
Author Profile
Montserrat Torrent
Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau
Author Profile
Isabel Badell
Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau
Author Profile
José Luis Fuster Soler
Hospital Clinico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca
Author Profile
Nerea Domínguez-Pinilla
Hospital Virgen de la Salud
Author Profile
Antonio Juan Ribelles
Hospital La Fe
Author Profile
Vanesa Pérez-Alonso
Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre
Author Profile
Manuel Fernández Sanmartin
Hospital Clinico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela
Author Profile
Marta Baragaño
Hospital Quirón Madrid
Author Profile
Maite Gorostegui
Hospital Sant Joan de Deu
Author Profile
Sara Perez-Jaume
Hospital Sant Joan de Deu
Author Profile
Ana Fernández-Teijeiro
Complejo Hospitalario Virgen de la Macarena
Author Profile
Andres Morales La Madrid
Hospital Sant Joan de Déu
Author Profile
Jose Luis Dapena
Hospital Sant Joan de Déu
Author Profile

Abstract

Background: Since the beginning of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, it has been widely recognized that children and adolescents seem to have milder clinical courses as compared to adult counterparts. However, there is concern that vulnerable collectives including pediatric patients treated for cancer or under immunosuppression may be at higher risk. Methods: We retrospectively collected Spanish COVID-19 cases in children and adolescents with solid and hematological malignancies, non-malignant chronic hematologic conditions, and post allogeneic-stem cell transplantation, from the beginning of the pandemic on January 31 to April 24, 2020. Results: We included 47 cases with RT-PCR positive COVID-19 from 41 centers in Spain, where 97.6% of pediatric patients are treated for cancer. In most cases (76.6%), infection was asymptomatic, or symptoms were mild. Severe illness was observed in 14.9% of cases with respiratory distress and/or hypoxemia, and 8.5% required admission to the PICU. Symptomatic patients received supportive care associated with antiviral and immunomodulatory agents depending upon severity. Anticancer therapy was withhold in the majority of cases during the infection course. Most patients recovered from COVID-19. Two deaths were reported. Conclusion: In our cohort, most children receiving anticancer chemotherapy presented a mild clinical course and had a good outcome. Highly immunosuppressed patients with major comorbidities were at higher risk of severe infections. Among this fragile collective, individualized expert discussion is critical for anti-infectious therapy and appropriate anticancer treatment.