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Updated: Sep 30, 2025
Prediction of Red Blood Cell Antibody Significance Using the Monocyte-Macrophage Assay
Published on: February 7, 2025
Reduced Absolute Count of Monocytes in Patients Carrying Hematological Neoplasms and SARS-CoV2 Infection
Alessandra Romano1,2, Claudio Cerchione3, Concetta Conticello1
1Division of Hematology, AOU "Policlinico G. Rodolico-San Marco", 95100 Catania, Italy.
Background:
Clinical course of COVID-19 depends on several patient-specific risk factors, including immune function, that is largely compromised in cancer patients.
Methods:
We prospectively evaluated 120 adult consecutive patients (including 34 cases of COVID-19 breakthrough after two full doses of BNT162b2 vaccine) with underlying hematological malignancies and a SARS-CoV-2 infection, in terms of patient's clinical outcome.
Results:
Among fully vaccinated patients the achievement of viral clearance by day 14 was more frequent than in unvaccinated patients. Increased 30-day mortality was associated with presence of active/progressing disease and absolute monocyte count lower than 400 cells/uL. Results of multivariable analysis in unvaccinated patients showed that the pre-infection absolute count of monocytes less or equal to 400 cells/mmc, active or progressive disease of the underlying hematological malignancy, the COVID-19 severity identified by hospitalization requirement and lack of viral clearance at 14 days were independent predictors of 1-year overall survival.
Conclusions:
Taken together, our results indicate that absolute monocyte count determined one month before any documented SARS-CoV-2 infection could identify patients affected by hematological neoplasms with increased risk of inferior overall survival.
