Prolonged viral pneumonia and high mortality in COVID-19 patients on anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy

COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients with Hematological Malignances

Patients with hematologic malignancies (HM) represent a population particularly vulnerable to infections due to their cancer-related immune deficiency and the immunosuppressive treatment they are administered. Accordingly, a high hospitalization and mortality rate has been consistently reported in such a frail population during the first COVID-19 pandemic waves. After a brief description of the clinical impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with blood cancers, this narrative review is focused on the protective effect of COVID-19 vaccines in patients with HM. All in all, the results from the literature analysis indicate that booster shots in fully vaccinated HM patients are significantly able to increase seroconversion rates, which represent the best surrogate of vaccine efficacy. Despite these encouraging data, concerns still remain regarding the lower immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines, even to booster doses, in severely immunosuppressed HM patients, such as those receiving anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapies and hematopoietic stem cell transplants.

Prolonged COVID-19 Pneumonia in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies: Clinical Significance and Serial CT Findings

(1) Background: Hematologic malignancy patients have a heightened risk for prolonged COVID-19 pneumonia. (2) Methods: We retrospectively investigated the clinical significance and serial CT findings of prolonged COVID-19 pneumonia in hematologic malignancy patients. Hematologic malignancy patients with persistent SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positivity >30 days and more than one chest CT after initial positivity were reviewed. Serial CT images were analyzed for the presence of COVID-19 pneumonia, patterns and distribution of CT findings, and severity scores of lung involvement. Clinical characteristics of the patients, including treatments for underlying hematologic malignancy prior to and after COVID-19 and COVID-19-related factors, were compared according to the presence of COVID-19 pneumonia. (3) Results: A total of 55 patients (36 male, median age 60 years) were included in the study. A total of 56.4% had received B-cell-directed therapies, such as rituximab or teclistamab, within one year of COVID-19 diagnosis. A total of 76.4% of patients had the presence of COVID-19 pneumonia on CT, with a median CT duration of pneumonia of 35.5 days, and they experienced more frequent (p = 0.005) and longer (p = 0.002) hospital stays and longer delays in treatment for underlying malignancy (p = 0.03), compared to those without evidence of COVID-19 pneumonia on CT. The development of COVID-19 pneumonia was significantly related to B-cell-directed antibody therapies (p = 0.02). Median CT severity scores during <30 days, 30-59 days, 60-89 days, and ≥90 days from initial diagnosis were 2.0, 2.0, 2.0, and 1.0, respectively. (4) Conclusions: Patients with hematologic malignancies may experience prolonged COVID-19 pneumonia, which is associated with the use of B-cell-directed antibody-based drugs and can result in longer hospital stays and delays in treatments for underlying malignancy.

MS treatment trends before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic: insights from the German MS Register

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic affected healthcare management for people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), leading to alterations in disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) due to concerns about COVID-19 outcomes and vaccine efficacy.

OBJECTIVES

To compare DMT prescription patterns in PwMS before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

PwMS from the German MS Register, between 2019 and 2024, either newly diagnosed (Cohort A) or who discontinued or switched DMT (Cohort B), were analyzed over a follow-up period of 3 months. Data from the pre-pandemic period were compared to early-, late-, and post-pandemic periods. DMTs were categorized as medium efficacy (meDMT) or high efficacy (heDMT).

RESULTS

In Cohort A (n = 1810), pre-pandemic 46% had no DMT within 3 months of diagnosis, 39% received meDMT, and 15% heDMT (7.5% B cell-depleting therapies (BCD)). heDMT use increased during later periods ("early" 19%, "late" 29%, "post" 41%), with a shift toward BCD. In cohort B (n = 4246), pre-pandemic 47% paused DMT, 19% switched to meDMT, and 34% to heDMT (17% BCD). heDMT use also rose during the pandemic ("early" 37%, "late" 47%, "post" 48%), with increased BCD use.

CONCLUSIONS

There were no delays in DMT initiation or resumption during the pandemic with a notable increase in heDMT and BCD use, reflecting growing confidence in these treatment options.

ORCHESTRA Delphi consensus: diagnostic and therapeutic management of SARS-CoV-2 infection in haematological patients

OBJECTIVES

COVID-19 poses a significant risk to individuals with haematological malignancies (HM), as they are particularly vulnerable to severe disease progression and hospitalization due to their compromised immune systems. Many clinical decisions regarding the management of COVID-19 in these patients are yet to be fully addressed by existing guidelines, leading to variability in care.

METHODS

A 28-item Delphi survey was developed to gather expert opinions on key areas of COVID-19 management in patients with HM, including risk stratification for severe COVID-19, diagnostic processes, and treatment decisions.

RESULTS

Twenty-one experts with backgrounds in haematology and infectious diseases were enrolled. Of the 28 questions posed to the experts, consensus was reached on 15 statements.

DISCUSSION

These Delphi consensus statements offer valuable suggestions with direct implications for clinical practice, addressing critical areas such as risk identification, appropriate diagnostic approaches, and tailored treatment strategies for patients with HM with COVID-19. The findings provide actionable insights that may help fill gaps in current scientific literature, enhancing patient care and decision-making in this high-risk population.

COVID-19 vaccination in patients with multiple sclerosis: what you need to know - a review

Background

The appearance of severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) initiated the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in millions of confirmed cases and numerous fatalities. In response, rapid vaccine development efforts were launched to mitigate the pandemic's impact. Despite the high efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, they are also associated with several common side effects/complications, some of them specific to the multiple sclerosis population. Our goal is to review various types of COVID-19 vaccines, assessing their efficacy, adverse events, their association with an MS relapse following vaccination, and the influence of disease modifying therapies (DMTs) on vaccines' efficacy.

Methods

The review was based on a database search that included PubMed/Medline, Embase, Scopus, and the Web of Science conducted from January 2020 to July 2024 using the following MeSH terms: MS, COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccination, vaccine side effects, and vaccine hesitancy.

Results

Receiving any type of COVID-19 vaccine is a safer and more reliable approach to building immunity compared to becoming infected with the virus. Complications tend to be mild to moderate, occasionally severe. DMTs could affect the humoral response to the COVID-19 vaccine. Among all DMTs, a notable reduction in the humoral response has been observed in patients who received anti-CD20 and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulator drugs after their COVID-19 vaccination.

Conclusion

Despite certain drawbacks, the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine significantly outweigh the associated risks, making it a recommended course of action for people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). However, physicians need to be mindful of potential complications especially in patients undergoing anti CD20 and manage them appropriately.