Survival and Complications in Pediatric Patients With Cancer and COVID-19: A Meta-Analysis

Challenges in Treating Pediatric Cancer Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Balancing Risks and Care

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in millions of fatalities worldwide. The case of pediatric cancer patients stands out since, despite being considered a population at risk, few studies have been carried out concerning symptom detection or the description of the mechanisms capable of modifying the course of the COVID-19 disease, such as the interaction and response between the virus and the treatment given to cancer patients. By synthesizing existing studies, this paper aims to expose the treatment challenges for pediatric patients with COVID-19 in an oncology context. Additionally, this updated review includes studies that utilized the antiviral agents Remdesivir and PaxlovidTM in pediatric cancer patients. There is no specific treatment designed exclusively for pediatric cancer patients dealing with COVID-19, and it is advisable to avoid self-medication to prevent potential side effects. Managing COVID-19 in pediatric cancer patients is indeed a substantial challenge. New strategies, such as chemotherapy application rooms, have been implemented for children with cancer who were positive for COVID-19 but asymptomatic since the risk of disease progression is greater than the risk of complications from SARS-CoV-2.

Evidence linking COVID-19 and the health/well-being of children and adolescents: an umbrella review

BACKGROUND

Experiences during childhood and adolescence have enduring impacts on physical and mental well-being, overall quality of life, and socioeconomic status throughout one's lifetime. This underscores the importance of prioritizing the health of children and adolescents to establish an impactful healthcare system that benefits both individuals and society. It is crucial for healthcare providers and policymakers to examine the relationship between COVID-19 and the health of children and adolescents, as this understanding will guide the creation of interventions and policies for the long-term management of the virus.

METHODS

In this umbrella review (PROSPERO ID: CRD42023401106), systematic reviews were identified from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; EMBASE (OvidSP); and MEDLINE (OvidSP) from December 2019 to February 2023. Pairwise and single-arm meta-analyses were extracted from the included systematic reviews. The methodological quality appraisal was completed using the AMSTAR-2 tool. Single-arm meta-analyses were re-presented under six domains associated with COVID-19 condition. Pairwise meta-analyses were classified into five domains according to the evidence classification criteria. Rosenberg's FSN was calculated for both binary and continuous measures.

RESULTS

We identified 1551 single-arm and 301 pairwise meta-analyses from 124 systematic reviews that met our predefined criteria for inclusion. The focus of the meta-analytical evidence was predominantly on the physical outcomes of COVID-19, encompassing both single-arm and pairwise study designs. However, the quality of evidence and methodological rigor were suboptimal. Based on the evidence gathered from single-arm meta-analyses, we constructed an illustrative representation of the disease severity, clinical manifestations, laboratory and radiological findings, treatments, and outcomes from 2020 to 2022. Additionally, we discovered 17 instances of strong or highly suggestive pairwise meta-analytical evidence concerning long-COVID, pediatric comorbidity, COVID-19 vaccines, mental health, and depression.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of our study advocate for the implementation of surveillance systems to track health consequences associated with COVID-19 and the establishment of multidisciplinary collaborative rehabilitation programs for affected younger populations. In future research endeavors, it is important to prioritize the investigation of non-physical outcomes to bridge the gap between research findings and clinical application in this field.

The Characteristics and Follow-Up of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Pediatric Oncology Patients

Introduction Clinical data about the first and second most prominent waves of SARS-CoV-2 among pediatric cancer patients were inconsistent. This study aims to retrospectively report the clinical characteristics and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pediatric oncology patients. Methods This is an observational, retrospective study conducted in a tertiary care oncology center from March 2020 to May 2022. We reviewed the prevalence, severity of symptoms, and duration of positivity in relation to blood count laboratory data and mortality with a follow-up of 30 days post-infection for SARS-CoV-2. Results A total of 396 PCR tests were performed on 342 pediatric cancer patients. The overall rate of SARS-CoV-2 positivity was 43.1% (2.7% in the first wave and 95.4% in the second wave). Among 342 screened pediatric cancer patients, 72 patients had confirmed SARS-CoV-2 positivity in 92 different episodes. Nearly 59% had a mild or moderate infection, with fever and cough as the predominant presentations. The mean duration of positivity was 18.4±7.76 days. Comparing the laboratory values before and after acquiring the COVID-19 infection, only monocytes, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelets were statistically significantly affected, with P-values of 0.002, 0.03, 0.02, and 0.01, respectively. More than 18% of patients had grade 3 to 4 neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count=0.39±0.35) before COVID-19 infection and remained neutropenic throughout the disease, regardless of symptom severity. The mean recovery time was 13.67±8 days, which resulted in a delay in cancer treatment delivery of up to four weeks in 42.2% of patients. Conclusion Our data demonstrated that pediatric cancer patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection have a mild to moderate course of COVID-19 disease, with the majority being symptomatic, yet a great portion of our study population experienced treatment interruptions reaching up to four weeks caused by COVID-19.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric renal tumour presentation and management, a SIOP renal tumour study group study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic had global catastrophic effects on the management of non-communicable diseases including paediatric cancers. Restrictions during the start of 2020 complicated timely referrals of patients to specialized centres. We aimed to evaluate the pandemic's impact on the number of new diagnoses, disease characteristics and management delay for paediatric renal tumour patients included in the SIOP-RTSG-UMBRELLA study, as compared with data from a historical SIOP-RTSG trial (2005-2009).

METHODS

The number of intensive care admissions, population mobility rates and national lockdown periods/restrictions were used as proxies of the pandemic's severity and impact on societies. Clinical and tumour data were extracted from the SIOP-RTSG-UMBRELLA study and from historical SIOP-RTSG trials.

RESULTS

During the first lockdown in Europe, the number of newly diagnosed patients decreased following restrictions and population immobilisation. Additionally, there was a higher proportion of advanced disease (37% vs. 17% before and after COVID-9, p < 0.001) and larger median tumour volume (559 cm3 vs. 328 and 434 cm3 before and after, p < 0.0001). Also in Brazil, the proportion of advanced disease was higher during the national decrease in mobilisation and start of restrictions (50% and 24% vs. 11% and 18% before and after, p < 0.01). Tumour volume in Brazil was also higher during the first months of COVID-19 (599 cm3 vs. 459 and 514 cm3 ), although not significant (p = 0.17). We did not observe any delays in referral time nor in time to start treatment, even though COVID-19 restrictions may have caused children to reach care later.

CONCLUSION

The COVID-19 pandemic briefly changed the tumour characteristics of children presenting with renal tumours. The longer-term impact on clinical outcomes will be kept under review.

Pediatric cancer care management during the COVID-19 pandemic: a review of the literature and a single-centre real-life experience of an Italian pediatric oncology unit

INTRODUCTION

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 pandemic significantly affected clinical practice, also in pediatric oncology units. Cancer patients needed to be treated with an adequate dose density despite the SARS-CoV-2 infection, balancing risks of developing severe COVID-19 disease.

AREAS COVERED

Although the pandemic spread worldwide, the prevalence of affected children was low. The percentage of children with severe illness was approximately 1-6%. Pediatric cancer patients represent a prototype of a previously healthy immune system that is hampered by the tumor itself and treatments, such as chemotherapy and steroids. Through a review of the literature, we reported the immunological basis of the response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, the existing antiviral treatments used in pediatric cancer patients, and the importance of vaccination. In conclusion, we reported the real-life experience of our pediatric oncology unit during the pandemic period.

EXPERT OPINION

Starting from the data available in literature, and our experience, showing the rarity of severe COVID-19 disease in pediatric patients with solid tumors, we recommend carefully tailoring all the oncological treatments (chemotherapy/targeted therapy/stem cell transplantation/radiotherapy). The aim is the preservation of the treatment's timing, balanced with an evaluation of possible severe COVID-19 disease.

Factors Affecting Presentation and Treatment of Pediatric/Adolescent Cancer Patients Diagnosed With SARS-CoV-2

BACKGROUND

It is thought that the clinical course of actively treated pediatric/adolescent cancer patients diagnosed with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is more severe than experienced by the general pediatric population. We describe the clinical course, risk factors affecting presentation, and management of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection for these patients.

METHODS

Patients at a single institution receiving cancer therapy while diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 between January 2020 and June 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Data collected included age at SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, sex, ethno-race, adjusted body mass index, and active therapies.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine patients met inclusion criteria, with 16 (55.2%) experiencing symptoms. Twenty-three (79.3%) patients required no institutional support; 10 (34.4%) required hospitalization, of which 80.0% required oxygen, 30.0% required intensive care, and 10.0% required intubation. Three (10.3%) patients developed MIS-C. Obesity increased odds of hospitalization (odds ratio=25.5; P =0.002) and oxygenation (odds ratio=14.88; P =0.012).

CONCLUSIONS

Hospitalization and MIS-C rates were significantly higher than, whereas mortality rates and symptom presentations were consistent with, rates in the general pediatric population. Obesity was the only risk factor predictive of clinical severity. Cancer treatment modifications and pre-emptive administration of COVID-19 treatment did not modify clinical course.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Pediatric Malignancy Diagnosis and Treatment: Never the Same but Lessons Learned

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic affected the pediatric oncology population globally. Over the course of 2 years, increasing reports have been made to better understand this entity and its pathologic complications on these patients. The pandemic has allowed healthcare providers, hospital systems, and leading oncologic societies to quickly adapt and formulate new guidelines for the effective understanding, management, and treatment of patients with pediatric malignancy.

Impact of COVID-19 Related Restrictions on Infections in Children with Cancer or after Hematopoietic SCTA

BACKGROUND

Infections are a major concern for immunocompromised children. We investigated whether non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) implemented in the general population during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Germany had an impact on frequency, type and severity of infections in these patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We analyzed all admissions to the clinic of pediatric hematology, oncology and stem cell transplantation (SCT) with (suspected) infection or fever of unknown origin (FUO) from 2018 to 2021.

RESULTS

We compared a 27-month period before NPIs (Pre-COVID: 01/2018-03/2020; 1041 cases) with a 12-month period with underlying NPIs (COVID: 04/2020-03/2021; 420 cases). During the COVID period the number of in-patient stays with FUO or infections decreased (38,6 cases/month vs. 35,0 cases/month), the median duration of hospital stays was longer (8 d (CI95: 7-8 d) vs. 9 d (CI95: 8-10 d) P=0,02)), the mean number of antibiotics per case increased (2,1 (CI95: 2,0-2,2) vs. 2,5 (CI95: 2,3-2,7); P=0,003)) and a substantial reduction of viral respiratory and gastrointestinal infections per case was seen (0,24 vs. 0,13; P<0,001). Notably, there was no detection of respiratory syncytial virus, influenza and norovirus, between May 2020 and March 2021. Based on need of intensive care measures and further parameters we conclude that severe (bacterial) infections were not significantly reduced by NPIs.

CONCLUSIONS

Introduction of NPIs in the general population during the COVID-pandemic substantially reduced viral respiratory and gastrointestinal infections in immunocompromised patients, while severe (bacterial) infections were not prevented.

Identification of Comorbidities, Genomic Associations, and Molecular Mechanisms for COVID-19 Using Bioinformatics Approaches

Several studies have been done to identify comorbidities of COVID-19. In this work, we developed an analytical bioinformatics framework to reveal COVID-19 comorbidities, their genomic associations, and molecular mechanisms accomplishing transcriptomic analyses of the RNA-seq datasets provided by the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, where normal and infected tissues were evaluated. Using the framework, we identified 27 COVID-19 correlated diseases out of 7,092 collected diseases. Analyzing clinical and epidemiological research, we noticed that our identified 27 diseases are associated with COVID-19, where hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and lung cancer are observed several times in COVID-19 patients. Therefore, we selected the above four diseases and performed assorted analyses to demonstrate the association between COVID-19 and hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and lung cancer as comorbidities. We investigated genomic associations with the cross-comparative analysis and Jaccard's similarity index, identifying shared differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and linking DEGs of COVID-19 and the comorbidities, in which we identified hypertension as the most associated illness. We also revealed molecular mechanisms by identifying statistically significant ten pathways and ten ontologies. Moreover, to understand cellular physiology, we did protein-protein interaction (PPI) analyses among the comorbidities and COVID-19. We also used the degree centrality method and identified ten biomarker hub proteins (IL1B, CXCL8, FN1, MMP9, CXCL10, IL1A, IRF7, VWF, CXCL9, and ISG15) that associate COVID-19 with the comorbidities. Finally, we validated our findings by searching the published literature. Thus, our analytical approach elicited interconnections between COVID-19 and the aforementioned comorbidities in terms of remarkable DEGs, pathways, ontologies, PPI, and biomarker hub proteins.

COVID-19 coronavirus infection in children: Clinical presentation, diagnosis, vaccination, and treatment

In late 2019, a new subtype of coronavirus named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2) rapidly spread around the world, causing a global pandemic. Initially, the proportion of confirmed cases among children was relatively small, and it was believed that children were rarely infected. Subsequent observations have shown that in children and adolescents, the infection is either asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic, and therefore the true incidence is underestimated due to the lack of testing. The article systematizes the results of studies on the prevalence, diagnosis, clinical features, vaccination, and treatment of children with a new coronavirus infection COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2. The SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate throughout the peak of the pandemic in children was low compared to adults. Children are not only less likely to become infected with the virus, but they also endure the infection more easily than adults. The mortality rate in children with COVID-19 was <0.5%. In most children, infection is either asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic. Vaccination of children and adolescents is recommended mainly to achieve herd immunity in all age groups. However, there are no convincing data on the duration of the immune response, the level of the required protective antibody titer, as well as on the long-term side effects of vaccination due to the insufficient follow-up period and the uncertainty of the immune response criteria. As information is accumulated on the viral load of children and adolescents, their role in the transmission of the virus, diagnostic approaches in this age group are optimized. The effectiveness of the treatment was tested on patients admitted to the hospital, and recommendations for treatment were developed. Currently, global research efforts are focused on the protection of particularly vulnerable children, the prospects for total childhood vaccination, its effectiveness and safety.

Survival analysis and mortality predictors of COVID-19 in a pediatric cohort in Mexico

Background

The new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has been relatively less lethal in children; however, poor prognosis and mortality has been associated with factors such as access to health services. Mexico remained on the list of the ten countries with the highest case fatality rate (CFR) in adults. It is of interest to know the behavior of COVID-19 in the pediatric population. The aim of this study was to identify clinical and sociodemographic variables associated with mortality due to COVID-19 in pediatric patients.

Objective

Using National open data and information from the Ministry of Health, Mexico, this cohort study aimed to identify clinical and sociodemographic variables associated with COVID-19 mortality in pediatric patients.

Method

A cohort study was designed based on National open data from the Ministry of Health, Mexico, for the period April 2020 to January 2022, and included patients under 18 years of age with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Variables analyzed were age, health services used, and comorbidities (obesity, diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular disease, immunosuppression, high blood pressure, and chronic kidney disease). Follow-up duration was 60 days, and primary outcomes were death, hospitalization, and requirement of intensive care. Statistical analysis included survival analysis, prediction models created using the Cox proportional hazards model, and Kaplan-Meier estimation curves.

Results

The cohort included 261,099 cases with a mean age of 11.2 ± 4 years, and of these, 11,569 (4.43%) were hospitalized and 1,028 (0.39%) died. Variables associated with risk of mortality were age under 12 months, the presence of comorbidities, health sector where they were treated, and first wave of infection.

Conclusion

Based on data in the National database, we show that the pediatric fatality rate due to SARS-CoV-2 is similar to that seen in other countries. Access to health services and distribution of mortality were heterogeneous. Vulnerable groups were patients younger than 12 months and those with comorbidities.

Low numbers of COVID-19 in Swedish pediatric oncology patients during the first pandemic year despite an open society

BACKGROUND

Sweden adopted a different strategy than many other countries to combat the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic and kept most schools open. Initial reports from China suggested that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was milder in children compared to adults, but there was a lack of data from immunocompromised children. Therefore, we investigated the rate of verified SARS-CoV-2 infections in our Swedish pediatric oncology patients.

PROCEDURE

This was a multicenter retrospective study. A questionnaire including patient data as well as SARS-CoV-2 data was sent to the six Swedish childhood cancer centers in May 2021.

RESULTS

During the first pandemic year, 49 patients were identified as SARS-CoV-2 positive, and 22 (45%) children were hospitalized with COVID-19. Two children needed intensive care, but no COVID-19-related deaths were reported. Most patients (n = 36, 73%) were on active chemotherapy treatment and 23 children (49%) attended school or daycare at least part-time. Half of the SARS-CoV-2-positive patients experienced a delay in cancer treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Sweden, without a strict lockdown of the society, the number of nationally reported pediatric oncology patients with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-verified infection was low, and the majority of children had mild disease. Our data show that treatment interruptions occurred frequently and this should clearly be avoided for the coming years.

Evaluation of Possible Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Febrile Neutropenia Episodes in Children With Acute Leukemia

With the rapid spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) around the globe, concerns about the management of patients with malignancy have risen significantly. This study aimed to investigate the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and prevention policies on the incidence and etiology of febrile neutropenia (FN) episodes in children with acute leukemia. Children who had acute leukemia and were diagnosed as FN in a tertiary center from March 2018 to March 2021 were included in the study. FN episodes were grouped as prepandemic and postpandemic based on the date that pandemic was declared. Relevant data were collected retrospectively. We evaluated 113 FN episodes (75.2% were prepandemic) of 46 patients, a median of 4.7 (2.6 to 12.6) years of age. The number of FN episodes per patient did not differ between prepandemic and postpandemic periods ( P =0.476). There was no significant difference among the 2 groups regarding the microbiologic causes, focus of fever, and clinical outcomes in FN episodes. Two of the patients were diagnosed as COVID-19 and recovered without any complications. In conclusion, we showed that the incidence and etiology of FN episodes were similar before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in children with acute leukemia.

Manifestations of COVID-19 infection in children with malignancy: A single-center experience in Jordan

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been the cause of a global health crisis since the end of 2019. All countries are following the guidelines and re-commendations released by the World Health Organization to decrease the spread of the disease. Children account for only 3%-5% of COVID-19 cases. Few data are available regarding the clinical course, disease severity, and mode of treatment in children with malignancy and COVID-19.

AIM

To evaluate the treatment plan and outcome of children with malignancy who contracted COVID-19.

METHODS

A retrospective study of the medical files of patients with malignancy who contracted COVID-19 between July 2020 and June 2021 was performed. The following data were reviewed for all patients: primary disease, laboratory data, admission ward, clinical status upon admission, disease course, treatment plan, and outcome. Eligible patients were those with malignancy who tested positive for COVID-19 by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

A total of 40 patients who had malignancy contracted COVID-19 from July 1, 2020 to June 1, 2021. Their primary diseases were as follows: 34 patients (85%) had hematological malignancies (30 had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 2 had acute myeloblastic leukemia, and 2 had Hodgkin lymphoma), whereas 6 patients (15%) had solid tumors (2 had neuroblastoma, 2 had rhabdomyosarcoma, and 2 had central nervous system tumors). Twelve patients (30%) did not need hospitalization and underwent home isolation only, whereas twenty-eight patients (70%) required hospitalization (26 patients were admitted in the COVID-19 ward and 2 were admitted in the pediatric intensive care unit).

CONCLUSION

COVID-19 with malignancy in the pediatric age group has a benign course and does not increase the risk of having severe infection compared to other children.

Prediction and analysis of COVID-19 daily new cases and cumulative cases: times series forecasting and machine learning models

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 poses a severe threat to global human health, especially the USA, Brazil, and India cases continue to increase dynamically, which has a far-reaching impact on people's health, social activities, and the local economic situation.

METHODS

The study proposed the ARIMA, SARIMA and Prophet models to predict daily new cases and cumulative confirmed cases in the USA, Brazil and India over the next 30 days based on the COVID-19 new confirmed cases and cumulative confirmed cases data set(May 1, 2020, and November 30, 2021) published by the official WHO, Three models were implemented in the R 4.1.1 software with forecast and prophet package. The performance of different models was evaluated by using root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE).

RESULTS

Through the fitting and prediction of daily new case data, we reveal that the Prophet model has more advantages in the prediction of the COVID-19 of the USA, which could compose data components and capture periodic characteristics when the data changes significantly, while SARIMA is more likely to appear over-fitting in the USA. And the SARIMA model captured a seven-day period hidden in daily COVID-19 new cases from 3 countries. While in the prediction of new cumulative cases, the ARIMA model has a better ability to fit and predict the data with a positive growth trend in different countries(Brazil and India).

CONCLUSIONS

This study can shed light on understanding the outbreak trends and give an insight into the epidemiological control of these regions. Further, the prediction of the Prophet model showed sufficient accuracy in the daily COVID-19 new cases of the USA. The ARIMA model is suitable for predicting Brazil and India, which can help take precautions and policy formulation for this epidemic in other countries.

The Global Impact of COVID-19 on Childhood Cancer Outcomes and Care Delivery - A Systematic Review

Background

Childhood cancer represents a leading cause of death and disease burden in high income countries (HICs) and low-and-middle income countries (LMICs). It is postulated that the current COVID-19 pandemic has hampered global development of pediatric oncology care programs. This systematic review aimed to comprehensively review the global impact of COVID-19 on childhood cancer clinical outcomes and care delivery.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Embase, Medline, and the African Medical Index from inception to November 3, 2021 following PRISMA guidelines. A manual search was performed to identify additional relevant studies. Articles were selected based on predetermined eligibility criteria.

Findings

The majority of studies reported patients with cancer and COVID-19 presenting as asymptomatic (HICs: 33.7%, LMICs: 22.0%) or with primary manifestations of fever (HICs: 36.1%, LMICs: 51.4%) and respiratory symptoms (HICs: 29.6%, LMICs: 11.7%). LMICs also reported a high frequency of patients presenting with cough (23.6%) and gastrointestinal symptoms (10.6%). The majority of patients were generally noted to have a good prognosis; however the crude mortality rate was higher in LMICs when compared to HICs (8.0% vs 1.8%). Moreover, the pandemic has resulted in delays and interruptions to cancer therapies and delays in childhood cancer diagnoses in both HICs and LMICs. However, these findings were disproportionately reported in LMICs, with significant staff shortages, supply chain disruptions, and limited access to cancer therapies for patients.

Conclusions

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in delays and interruptions to childhood cancer therapies and delays in childhood cancer diagnoses, and disproportionately so within LMICs. This review provides lessons learned for future system-wide disruptions to care, as well as provides key points for moving forward better with care through the remainder of this pandemic.

Systematic Review Registration

CRD42021266758, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=266758

Provider and staff crisis well-being associated with trust in leadership and baseline burnout

BACKGROUND

The impact of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the emotional health of health care workers continues to be an area of active research. However, few studies have focused on those working in pediatrics and its subspecialties, as well as ancillary and non-patient-facing staff. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated predictors of burnout and emotional well-being of providers and staff.

METHODS

An anonymous electronic survey was developed evaluating demographics, pandemic experiences, possible predictor variables, and three main outcomes of burnout, psychological distress, and perceived stress. Pediatric hematology oncology (PHO) chiefs and program directors across the country were invited to participate and disseminate the survey to their programs.

RESULTS

A total of 682/1950 (35% of invited) individuals responded to all predictor and outcome variables. Over half reported high levels of burnout and some reported moderate/high levels of distress. Prepandemic burnout and decreased trust in leadership were associated with all three outcomes. Additional predictors included having a child ≤18 years at home, hospital role, and worrying about patient care or relationship with their patients. The majority (n = 444/682, 65.5%) reported that their institution had made COVID-19-related mental health resources available. However, only 6.5% (n = 44/682) reported utilizing these resources.

CONCLUSIONS

While the majority of PHO providers and staff were resilient during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, many reported high levels of burnout, yet few are utilizing institutional resources. This study has highlighted several actionable areas to help identify and address factors that are wearing down the emotional well-being of providers and staff.

SARS-CoV-2 in pediatric cancer: a systematic review

The outbreak of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in December 2019 in Wuhan challenges pediatric oncologists in an unexpected way. We provide a comprehensive overview, which systematically summarizes and grades evidence (QoE) on SARS-CoV-2 infections in pediatric cancer patients at 1.5 years of pandemic. A systematic literature search in PubMed combined with an additional exploratory literature review in other international databases was conducted to identify studies on children (aged < 18 years) with a malignant disease and COVID-19 infections. In total, 45 reports on 1003 pediatric cancer patients with SARS-CoV-2 infections were identified out of 1397 reports analyzed. The clinical course of COVID-19 was reported mild or moderate in 358 patients (41.7%), whereas 11.1% of patients showed severe COVID-19. In 12.7% of patients, chemotherapy was postponed, whereas 19% of patients with different underlying malignancies received chemotherapy during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Twenty-five patients with SARS-CoV-2 infections died, potentially related to COVID-19.

CONCLUSION

Despite a favorable COVID-19 outcome in most pediatric cancer patients, the morbidity is reported higher than in children without comorbidities. However, no severe COVID-19 complications were associated to the continuation of chemotherapy in some cohort studies and reports on two patients. Therefore, the risk of cancer progress or relapse due to interruption of chemotherapy has carefully to be weighed against the risk of severe COVID-19 disease with potentially fatal outcome.

WHAT IS KNOWN

• Most of pediatric patients with malignant diseases show an asymptomatic, mild or moderate clinical course of SARS-CoV-2 infection. • Current need for a basis for decision-making, whether to stop or interrupt cancer treatment in a patient infected with SARS-CoV-2, and when to continue chemotherapy.

WHAT IS NEW

• Review results comprising over 1000 pediatric COVID-19 cancer patients confirm mild courses of SARS-CoV-2 infection in most patients but also show the attributable mortality is at least 10 times higher compared to reports on hospitalized children without comorbidities. • Review identifies that chemotherapy was continued despite SARS-CoV-2 positivity in 18% of patients with individual chemotherapy modification according to the clinical course of SARS-CoV-2 infection and existing comorbidities. On this basis, no severe COVID-19 complications were associated to the continuation of chemotherapy in several cohort studies and two case reports.

Evaluation of Clinical Findings and Treatment Results of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Pediatric Cancer Patients: A Single Center Experience

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study is to evaluate the clinical findings and treatment results of COVID-19 in pediatric cancer patients.

STUDY DESIGN

The study was designed as a single-center retrospective observational study. Pediatric cancer patients with COVID-19 admitted to the University of Health Sciences Adana City Training and Research Hospital pediatric COVID wards from October 2020 to October 2021 were included. Clinical data and demographic characteristics were retrieved from patient files.

RESULTS

A total of 45 pediatric cancer patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 8.68 ± 5.16 years (range 1.5-17.5), 62.2% were men, 37.8% were Turkish citizens, and 62.2% were Syrian refugees. A total of 41 patients (91.1%) had leukemia/lymphoma, while 4 (8.9%) had solid tumors. The most common symptoms were fever (66.7%), respiratory (35.6%), and gastrointestinal symptoms (17.8%). Disease severity was evaluated as mild in 46.7%, moderate in 44.4%, and severe in 8.9% of patients. Patients presented with lymphopenia (88.9%), thrombocytopenia (73.3%), anemia (71.1%), and neutropenia (62.2%). Mean hospital length of stay was 15.18 ± 10.34 (range 6-62) days overall and 9.5 ± 2.39 (range 2 to 28) days in the PICU. Intensive care unit admission rate was 8.9%, and mortality rate was 4.4%. Median viral shedding period was 21 days (range 7-52).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study reveals that the mortality rate, length of hospital stay, and the need for intensive care of pediatric cancer patients with COVID-19 are higher than those of healthy children. Prospective studies with larger sample sizes are needed to further evaluate the clinical findings and treatment results of COVID-19 in pediatric cancer patients.

Mortality in children with cancer and SARS-CoV-2 in Latin America: A systematic review

The new COVID-19 disease is caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), that probably originated in Wuhan, China, and has currently infected 505,817,953 people and caused 6,213,876 deaths in the world. On the American continent, 152,265,980 cases and 2,717,108 deaths have been reported to WHO (World Health Organization). The Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region presents an epidemiological challenge due to its population's heterogeneity and socioeconomic inequality. A particularly vulnerable population is that of children with cancer, and their mortality from COVID-19 has been reported to be 3.6% globally. This work aimed to study the lethality of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children with cancer in the Latin American region. Our objective was to systematically review published scientific literature and search hospital databases in Latin America to explore mortality in this region. A median of mortality of 9.8% was found in the articles analyzed. In addition, we collected five databases from Latin American hospitals. We concluded that there was an underestimation in the mortality registry of this group of patients in the analyzed region. Therefore, although the causes are unknown, it is necessary to strengthen the case-reporting system to determine the reality in complex and particular areas such as Latin America.