Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2025
Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Polyfunctionality and Heterogeneity in Immune Responses
Published on: March 8, 2024
COVID-19 in Patients with Hematologic Diseases
Ilaria Carola Casetti1, Oscar Borsani1,2, Elisa Rumi1,2
1Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
Insights
Hematologic patients face severe COVID-19 risks due to compromised immunity and treatment delays. Vaccination is crucial for preventing severe illness, even with potentially reduced vaccine response.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Infectious Diseases
- Immunology
Background:
- COVID-19 significantly impacted global health, disproportionately affecting patients with hematologic diseases.
- Hematologic malignancies are identified as key risk factors for severe COVID-19 and increased mortality.
- The pandemic disrupted diagnosis and treatment of hematologic conditions due to lockdowns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the impact of COVID-19 on patients with hematologic diseases.
- To discuss the role of vaccines and therapeutics in preventing severe COVID-19 in this population.
- To emphasize the importance of protective strategies for hematologic patients.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on COVID-19 in hematologic patients.
- Analysis of vaccine efficacy and safety in immunocompromised individuals.
- Evaluation of antiviral and antibody therapies for COVID-19 prevention and treatment.
Main Results:
- Hematologic patients are at high risk for severe COVID-19 and mortality.
- SARS-CoV-2 can trigger or worsen immune-mediated cytopenias.
- Vaccine response may be impaired in patients on immunosuppressive therapy or anti-CD20 antibodies.
- Antiviral drugs and monoclonal antibodies offer additional prevention strategies.
Conclusions:
- Vaccination remains the primary prophylaxis for severe COVID-19 in hematologic patients, despite potential response limitations.
- All hematologic patients should be considered high-risk for COVID-19 complications.
- Proactive implementation of all available preventive therapies is essential for this vulnerable group.
Abstract:
The COVID-19 outbreak had a strong impact on people's lives all over the world. Patients with hematologic diseases have been heavily affected by the pandemic, because their immune system may be compromised due to anti-cancer or immunosuppressive therapies and because diagnosis and treatment of their baseline conditions were delayed during lockdowns. Hematologic malignancies emerged very soon as risk factors for severe COVID-19 infection, increasing the mortality rate. SARS-CoV2 can also induce or exacerbate immune-mediated cytopenias, such as autoimmune hemolytic anemias, complement-mediated anemias, and immune thrombocytopenia. Active immunization with vaccines has been shown to be the best prophylaxis of severe COVID-19 in hematologic patients. However, the immune response to vaccines may be significantly impaired, especially in those receiving anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies or immunosuppressive agents. Recently, antiviral drugs and monoclonal antibodies have become available for pre-exposure and post-exposure prevention of severe COVID-19. As adverse events after vaccines are extremely rare, the cost-benefit ratio is largely in favor of vaccination, even in patients who might be non-responders; in the hematological setting, all patients should be considered at high risk of developing complications due to SARS-CoV2 infection and should be offered all the therapies aimed to prevent them.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:01Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells
01:22Bone Marrow Sampling and Transplants
The transplant begins with high doses of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, which aim to destroy...
01:25Immunodeficiency Diseases
There are three main causes of immunodeficiency...
01:20Overview of Hematopoiesis
Developmental Phases of Hematopoiesis
Initially, HSCs are formed in the embryonic yolk sac, a critical site for early blood cell production. These stem cells subsequently migrate to other...
01:21Hematopoiesis
01:27Disorders of Leukocytes
Leukopenia may result from bone marrow disorders, autoimmune diseases, and infectious diseases. For example, conditions such as multiple myeloma and aplastic anemia can impair the bone marrow's ability to produce adequate leukocytes. Similarly, autoimmune diseases like lupus and viral infections such as HIV can prompt the immune...