TY - JOUR

T1 - COVID-19 severity in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia treated with venetoclax

T2 - a single-center observational cohort study

AU - Thau, Sophie

AU - Poulsen, Christian Bjørn

AU - Brieghel, Christian

AU - Larsen, Morten Kranker

AU - Wiese, Lothar

AU - Nielsen, Xiaohui Chen

AU - Pedersen, Lars Møller

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are at high risk of developing severe COVID-19. The present study was undertaken to elucidate COVID-19 related morbidity and mortality in CLL patients treated with venetoclax. We present a single-center study of 108 patients with small lymphocytic lymphoma or CLL treated with venetoclax. Primary outcome was 30-day COVID-19 mortality. Secondary outcomes included COVID-19 severity and hospitalization rate. Forty-eight (44%) patients had PCR-verified SARS-COV-2 between March 2020 and January 2023. Thirty-six patients (75%) presented with asymptomatic/mild COVID-19 and 12 (25%) with severe/critical disease. The hospitalization rate was 46% with a 30-day mortality rate of only 4% and severe comorbidities as the primary cause of death. COVID-19 severity and mortality were similar before and during the Omicron era. High CIRS-scores (P < 0.02) and thrombocytopenia (P < 0.01) were more frequent in patients with severe/critical disease. In real-world data, most venetoclax treated patients presented with mild COVID-19. Hospitalization and mortality rates were low compared to data of general CLL populations. Our data indicate that venetoclax was a safe treatment option for CLL patients during the pandemic.

AB - Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are at high risk of developing severe COVID-19. The present study was undertaken to elucidate COVID-19 related morbidity and mortality in CLL patients treated with venetoclax. We present a single-center study of 108 patients with small lymphocytic lymphoma or CLL treated with venetoclax. Primary outcome was 30-day COVID-19 mortality. Secondary outcomes included COVID-19 severity and hospitalization rate. Forty-eight (44%) patients had PCR-verified SARS-COV-2 between March 2020 and January 2023. Thirty-six patients (75%) presented with asymptomatic/mild COVID-19 and 12 (25%) with severe/critical disease. The hospitalization rate was 46% with a 30-day mortality rate of only 4% and severe comorbidities as the primary cause of death. COVID-19 severity and mortality were similar before and during the Omicron era. High CIRS-scores (P < 0.02) and thrombocytopenia (P < 0.01) were more frequent in patients with severe/critical disease. In real-world data, most venetoclax treated patients presented with mild COVID-19. Hospitalization and mortality rates were low compared to data of general CLL populations. Our data indicate that venetoclax was a safe treatment option for CLL patients during the pandemic.

KW - CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukemia)

KW - COVID-19

KW - Small lymphocytic lymphoma

KW - Venetoclax

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85190660584&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s00277-024-05738-4

DO - 10.1007/s00277-024-05738-4

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 38634916

AN - SCOPUS:85190660584

JO - Revue d'hématologie

JF - Revue d'hématologie

SN - 0945-8077

ER -