Background There is scarcity of data on outcome of COVID-19 in patients with hematological malignancies. Primary objective of study was to analyse the 14-day and 28-day mortality. Secondary objectives were to correlate age, comorbidities and remission status with outcome. Methods Retrospective multicentre observational study conducted in 11 centres across India. Total 130 patients with hematological malignancies and COVID-19 were enrolled. Results Fever and cough were commonest presentation. Eleven % patients were incidentally detected. Median age of our cohort was 49.5 years. Most of our patients had a lymphoid malignancy ( n = 91). One-half patients (52%) had mild infection, while moderate and severe infections contributed to one-fourth each. Sixty seven patients (52%) needed oxygen For treatment of COVID-19 infection, half( n = 66) received antivirals. Median time to RT-PCR COVID-19 negativity was 17 days (7–49 days). Nearly three-fourth ( n = 95) of our patients were on anticancer treatment at time of infection, of which nearly two-third ( n = 59;64%) had a delay in chemotherapy. Overall, 20% ( n = 26) patients succumbed. 14-day survival and 28-day survival for whole cohort was 85.4% and 80%, respectively. One patient succumbed outside the study period on day 39. Importantly, death rate at 1 month was 50% and 60% in relapse/refractory and severe disease cohorts, respectively. Elderly patients(age ≥ 60)( p = 0.009), and severe COVID-19 infection ( p = 0.000) had a poor 14-day survival. The 28-day survival was significantly better for patients in remission ( p = 0.04), non-severe infection (p = 0.00), and age < 60 years ( p = 0.05). Conclusions Elderly patients with hematological malignancy and severe covid-19 have worst outcomes specially when disease is not in remission.

, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 9, 2020. Hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients may be highly susceptible to infection and related pulmonary complications due to nascent immune systems or organ damage from treatment-related toxicities.Poor outcomes in such group of patients were linked to older age, steroid therapy at the time of COVID-19 infection, and COVID-19 infection within a year of HSCT. We studied a cohort of 28 hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients (male 17, M:F ratio of 1.5) with COVID-19 infection from 1st June 2020, through 31st December 2020 for outcome. Fever was the most common symptom at the time of presentation in 22 (78.5%) patients. Mortality rate at Day 28 and Day 42 was found to be 4/28 (14.3%) and 7/28 (25%) respectively. Patients within one year of HSCT and severe infection had higher day 28 mortality (with p values = 0.038)''. There was no relation of mortality with type of transplant.

Background Data on convalescent plasma therapy (CPT) in patients of hematological malignancies with severe Covid-19 is scarce. Objective To study 14-day mortality in patients who received CPT. Patients & Methods Retrospective multicentre observational study conducted in 4 centres treating haematological malignancies across Delhi-national capital region. Total 33 haematological malignancies patients with severe Covid-19 who received CPT were analysed. Results The median age of the study cohort was 62 years (18 to 80 years). Twenty one percent patients had 1 comorbidity, 18% had 2 comorbidities and 6% patients had 3 and 5 comorbidities each. Twenty four patients were on active therapy. Sixty nine percent of patients required ICU stay. Twenty five patients received plasma therapy within 7 days (early) of diagnosis of Covid-19 infection. Median day of plasma infusion from date of diagnosis of Covid-19 infection was 4 days (range: 2 to 25 days). Patient who had early initiation of plasma therapy had shorter duration of hospitalisation (12.7 vs 24.3 days, p = 0.000). Overall mortality in the cohort was 45.5%. There was no effect of disease status, active therapy, presence of comorbidity on mortality. There was no difference in the mortality in patients receiving early vs late initiation of plasma therapy or in patients receiving one versus two plasma therapy. Conclusions We provide a large series of patients with hematological malignancies and role of CPT in this group.

The in-vivo beta-adrenoreceptor antagonistic activity of test compounds DPJ 955 and DPJ 890 was assessed against beta-adrenoreceptor agonist (isoprenaline) induced tachycardia in anaesthetized rats. The selectivity to block isoprenaline responses on different &beta-adrenoreceptor subtypes (beta(1), beta(2) and beta(3)) of the test compounds was carried out on isolated rat right atria, isolated rat uterus and isolated rat colon preparations, respectively. Intravenous injection of isoprenaline alone in anaesthetized rats caused hypotension and tachycardia. DPJ 955 or DPJ 890 alone produced a fall in mean arterial pressure and bradycardia in a dose-dependent manner. Administration of isoprenaline to anaesthetized rats pre-treated with test compounds significantly blocked both the tachycardial and hypotensive responses induced by isoprenaline. The test compounds shifted the concentration response curves of isoprenaline towards the right for isolated rat right atrial preparations, rat uterus and rat colon, indicating beta(1), beta(2) and beta(3) adrenoreceptor blockade, respectively. The selectivity ratio for beta(1)/beta-adrenoreceptors to DPJ 955 and DPJ 890 was 64.6 and 83.2, respectively. DPJ 890 was more potent in blocking beta(1)-adrenoreceptors and was more selective towards beta(1) receptors than to other beta-adrenoreceptor subtypes. In conclusion, DPJ 955 and DPJ890 have beta-adrenoreceptor blocking activity with high selectivity for the beta(1)-adrenoreceptor subtype.

We present a case of 50 year old male patient with coexistence of Pneumothorax and Chilaiditi sign. Chilaiditi sign is an incidental radiographic finding of a usually asymptomatic condition in which a part of intestine is located between the liver and diaphragm; however, the term "Chilaiditi syndrome" is used for symptomatic hepatodiaphragmatic interposition. The patient had no symptoms of abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, or emesis. Incidentally, Chilaiditi sign was diagnosed on chest radiography. Pneumothorax is defined as air in the pleural space. Pneumothoraces are classified as spontaneous or traumatic. Spontaneous pneumothorax is labelled as primary when no underlying lung disease is present, or secondary, when it is associated with pre-existing lung disease. Our case is the rare in the literature indicating the coexistence of Chilaiditi sign and pneumothorax.