COVID-19 infection in adult patients with hematological malignancies: a European Hematology Association Survey (EPICOVIDEHA)

Background: Patients with hematological malignancies (HM) are at high risk of mortality from SARS-CoV-2 disease 2019 (COVID-19). A better understanding of risk factors for adverse outcomes may improve clinical management in these patients. We therefore studied baseline characteristics of HM patients developing COVID-19 and analyzed predictors of mortality. Methods: The survey was supported by the Scientific Working Group Infection in Hematology of the European Hematology Association (EHA). Eligible for the analysis were adult patients with HM and laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 observed between March and December 2020. Results: The study sample includes 3801 cases, represented by lymphoproliferative (mainly non-Hodgkin lymphoma n = 1084, myeloma n = 684 and chronic lymphoid leukemia n = 474) and myeloproliferative malignancies (mainly acute myeloid leukemia n = 497 and myelodysplastic syndromes n = 279). Severe/critical COVID-19 was observed in 63.8% of patients (n = 2425). Overall, 2778 (73.1%) of the patients were hospitalized, 689 (18.1%) of whom were admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). Overall, 1185 patients (31.2%) died. The primary cause of death was COVID-19 in 688 patients (58.1%), HM in 173 patients (14.6%), and a combination of both COVID-19 and progressing HM in 155 patients (13.1%). Highest mortality was observed in acute myeloid leukemia (199/497, 40%) and myelodysplastic syndromes (118/279, 42.3%). The mortality rate significantly decreased between the first COVID-19 wave (March–May 2020) and the second wave (October–December 2020) (581/1427, 40.7% vs. 439/1773, 24.8%, p value < 0.0001). In the multivariable analysis, age, active malignancy, chronic cardiac disease, liver disease, renal impairment, smoking history, and ICU stay correlated with mortality. Acute myeloid leukemia was a higher mortality risk than lymphoproliferative diseases. Conclusions: This survey confirms that COVID-19 patients with HM are at high risk of lethal complications. However, improved COVID-19 prevention has reduced mortality despite an increase in the number of reported cases.EPICOVIDEHA has received funds from Optics COMMITTM (COVID-19 Unmet Medical Needs and Associated Research Extension) COVID-19 RFP program by GILEAD Science, United States (Project 2020-8223)

Extramedullary Involvement in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. A Single Center Ten Years' Experience

The incidence, risk factors, and prognostic significance of extramedullary involvement (EMI) in adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have not been established yet. This study analyzed clinical and biological characteristics, the impact on prognosis, and the cumulative incidence of EMI in a monocentric retrospective series. All adult patients diagnosed with AML observed in our institution between January 2010 and December 2017 were included in the analysis. Overall, 346 AMLs were analyzed. The incidence of EMI was 11% (38 patients). The involved sites were: Skin (66%), central nervous system (CNS) (23%), pleura (7%), lymph nodes (5%), peritoneum (2%), spleen (2%), pancreas (2%), breasts (2%) and bones (2%). Most patients (91%) had only one EMI site, while 9% had multiple sites affected at the same time. Twenty-four (63%) patients showed signs of EMI at presentation, while extramedullary relapse occurred in 10 patients (26%); 4 patients had EMI both at presentation and relapse. EMI had a significantly higher frequency in patients with monocytic and myelo-monocytic leukemia subtypes (p&lt;0,0001), CD117-negative (p=0,03) at flow cytometry analysis, MLL rearrangements (p=0.001), trisomy 8 (p=0,02). An analysis regarding treatment, overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS) was performed only on the 28 patients who experienced EMI at the onset of their disease; one EMI patient receiving best supportive care was excluded from OS analysis. The other 27 patients were treated with: Conventional chemotherapy (21 patients), hypomethylating agents (5 patients), and low dose cytarabine (1 patient); 8 patients only (28.5%) received an allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). After induction therapy, complete remission (CR) rate was 22%, with a median DFS of 7.4 months. The median OS of all 27 EMI patients was 11.6 months (range 2-79); this resulted significantly longer for the 8 EMI patients who undergone allo-HSCT than those (19 patients) who did not receive this procedure (16.7 vs. 8.2 months respectively, p=0.02). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that undergoing allo-HSCT and achieving CR were the main positive prognostic factors for our population's survival (p&lt;0,0001). This study confirms the poor prognosis for EMI patients. Allo-HSCT, applicable however only in some cases, seems to have a crucial role in these patients' therapeutic approach, being associated with a better prognosis

Home artificial nutrition. National reference guidelines [Nutrizione artificiale domiciliare. Linee guida nazionali di riferimento]

[No abstract available

Meningiti, meningo-encefaliti ed encefaliti da virus Toscana in Italia, 2016-2021. Punta dell’iceberg di una arbovirosi endemica poco conosciuta

Toscana virus meningitis, meningo-encephalitis and encephalitis in Italy, 2016-2021: the tip of the iceberg of a poorly known endemic arbovirus Introduction Toscana virus (TOSV) is an emerging pathogen, however it is seldom considered by physicians among the differential diagnoses of summer meningitis, leading to under-ascertainment. The aim of this study is to describe cases of laboratory confirmed TOSV central nervous system (CNS) infections, notified in Italy in the period 2016-2021. Materials and methods We described all cases of meningitis/meningo-encephalitis/encephalitis notified to the Italian national TOSV surveillance system from 2016 to 2021. All cases were laboratory-confirmed. We calculated incidence (overall, stratified by year, sex, age group and by municipal urbanization level) and the frequency of hospitalizations and deaths. Results Between June 2016 and October 2021, 331 confirmed cases of TOSV meningitis/meningo-encephalitis/ encephalitis were reported in Italy (median 56 cases/year) of whom 292 were hospitalized. The cases were reported in 9/21 Italian Regions with the highest incidence in rural municipalities. Average age was 46 (range 0-89 years), most cases were male (233, 70%). An increased notification rate was observed in 2018 when incidence (1.47 cases/1,000,000) was almost twice the mean incidence in the remaining study period (0.81 cases/1,000,000). Overall, incidence was higher in age groups between 20 and 59 years. In 2020-2021 no deaths were reported. Discussion and conclusions The number of human infections caused by TOSV in Italy is under-estimated and diverse testing policies may bias the observed case distribution. Higher incidences in working age males and in rural municipalities might point to specific risk factors, also occupational. While no deaths were recently reported, TOSV impacts on hospital services