Prevalence and Mortality Due to Outbreak of Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in β-Thalassemias: The Nationwide Iranian Experience

Karimi, Mehran; Haghpanah, Sezaneh; Azarkeivan, Azita; Zahedi, Zohreh; Zarei, Tahereh; Tavakoli, Maryam Akhavan; Bazrafshan, Asghar; Shirkavand, Afshan; Sanctis, Vincezo De

doi:10.2139/ssrn.3605175

Cited by 7 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…Up to 7 th June 2020, the impact of COVID-19 in thalassaemic or SCD patients had only been preliminarily evaluated in different countries. 3 – 9 , 15 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A A Multicentre ICET-A Study of Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Patients with Hemoglobinopathies: Preliminary Data from 10 Countries

Sanctis¹

2020

Mediterr J Hematol Infect Dis

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Objectives: This study aims to investigate, retrospectively, the epidemiological and clinical characteristics, laboratory results, radiologic findings and outcomes of novel coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) in patients with transfusion dependent β thalassemia (β-thalassemia major-TM), non-transfusion dependent β thalassemia (β-thalassemia intermedia -TI) and sickle cell disease (SCD). Design, setting: A total of 17 Centers, from 10 countries, following 9,499 patients with hemoglobinopathies participated in the survey. Main outcome measures: Clinical, laboratory and radiologic findings and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 were collected from medical records and summarized. Results: A total of 13 patients, 7 with TM, 3 with TI and 3 with SCD, with confirmed COVID-19, were identified from 6 Centers from different countries. The overall mean age of patients was 33.7±12.3 years (range:13-66); 9/13 (69.2%) patients were females. The commonest symptoms in the 10 symptomatic patients were: fever (80%), cough (70%), headache (60%), fatigue (60%), gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea /vomiting/abdominal pain; 50%), tachypnea/dyspnea (40%), and sore throat (40%). Six patients had pneumonia (unilateral, bilateral or multiple opacity) and 4 needed oxygen therapy. An oxygen saturation ≤ 93% was documented in 3 patients at diagnosis. 6/10 patients had an exacerbation of anemia (2 with SCD, associated with back and chest pain in 1 patient), and 3 (<30%) had a decreased absolute number of lymphocytes. Increased C-reactive protein and D-dimers were the most common laboratory findings (66.6 %). Conclusions: The clinical presentation for COVID-19 in patients with β-thalassemia and SCD varies. Patients with mild/ordinary COVID-19 infection appear to have clinical symptoms and laboratory findings common to other viral respiratory infections. One 30 year old TM female patient with diabetes and chronic kidney disease. For a better understanding of COVID-19 in patients with hemoglobinopathies, further epidemiologic and clinical studies in a larger cohort of patients are required.

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“…Up to 7 th June 2020, the impact of COVID-19 in thalassaemic or SCD patients had only been preliminarily evaluated in different countries. 3 – 9 , 15 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A A Multicentre ICET-A Study of Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Patients with Hemoglobinopathies: Preliminary Data from 10 Countries

Sanctis¹

2020

Mediterr J Hematol Infect Dis

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“…Among this group of patients, six required hospital admission and none died [73]. Another retrospective analysis of Iranian patients with thalassemia with confirmed (15 patients) and suspected (8 patients) SARS-CoV-2 infections reported higher rates of mortality (26.1%), when compared to experience in the Italian series and the general population in Iran [74]. Patients with NTDT were at higher risk of death compared to patients with TDT [74].…”

Section: Special Considerations During the Covid-19 Pandemicmentioning

confidence: 80%

“…Another retrospective analysis of Iranian patients with thalassemia with confirmed (15 patients) and suspected (8 patients) SARS-CoV-2 infections reported higher rates of mortality (26.1%), when compared to experience in the Italian series and the general population in Iran [74]. Patients with NTDT were at higher risk of death compared to patients with TDT [74]. Diabetes, heart disease, and pulmonary hypertension were significantly associated with mortality [74].…”

Section: Special Considerations During the Covid-19 Pandemicmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…Patients with NTDT were at higher risk of death compared to patients with TDT [74]. Diabetes, heart disease, and pulmonary hypertension were significantly associated with mortality [74]. Given the limited clinical experience with SARS-CoV-2 in patients with thalassemia, general recommendations for the general population must be followed with special attention to thrombotic and secondary bacterial infectious complications.…”

Section: Special Considerations During the Covid-19 Pandemicmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Thalassemia in the emergency department: special considerations for a rare disease

et al. 2020

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Thalassemia is characterized by a defect in the synthesis of one or more of the globin subunits of hemoglobin. This defect results in imbalance in the α/β-globin chain ratio, ineffective erythropoiesis, chronic hemolytic anemia, and iron overload. With advances in diagnosis, treatment, and transfusion support, the prognosis of patients with thalassemia has improved over the past few decades. An increasing number of patients with thalassemia is living with long-term complications, including cardiomyopathy, chronic liver disease, endocrinopathy, and infections. In this paper, we review common complications that bring the patient with thalassemia to urgent or emergent medical attention. We also discuss the aspects of emergency care that are most relevant while caring for the patient with thalassemia in the emergency department.

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“…Recently a multicentric Iranian experience of 18350 Beta-thalassemic patients (only fifteen confirmed cases) reported mild to moderate disease of COVID- 19. 15 …”

Section: To the Editormentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of SARS CoV-2 in hemoglobinopathies: a protective mechanism being from Beta chain Hemoglobin defects?

Torti

Maffei

Sorrentino

et al. 2020

Mediterr J Hematol Infect Dis

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Prevalence and Mortality Due to Outbreak of Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in β-Thalassemias: The Nationwide Iranian Experience

Cited by 7 publications

References 0 publications

A A Multicentre ICET-A Study of Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Patients with Hemoglobinopathies: Preliminary Data from 10 Countries

A A Multicentre ICET-A Study of Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Patients with Hemoglobinopathies: Preliminary Data from 10 Countries

Thalassemia in the emergency department: special considerations for a rare disease

Impact of SARS CoV-2 in hemoglobinopathies: a protective mechanism being from Beta chain Hemoglobin defects?

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