SARS-CoV-2 infection and mortality in pediatric patients with hematological malignancies and solid tumors.

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a novel cause of mortality among children and adolescents in low- and middle-income settings. 1 In Brazil, deaths from COVID-19 among children and adolescents have exceeded the annual average of deaths from neoplasia, nervous system diseases, cardiac causes, and other vaccine-preventable diseases. 2 It was shown that the overall mortality rate associated with COVID-19 for children and adolescents aged 0–19 up to January 2022 was esti-mated at ∼ 4 deaths per 100,000 children and adolescents, with higher rates registered in the North and Northeast, 3 recognized as the poorest regions in the country. In addition, studies have suggested that immunocompromised children, including those with cancer, are at an increased risk of death from COVID-19 compared to hospitalized children without comorbidities 4 or the general pediatric population. 5 Here, we reported the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among hospitalized children and adolescents aged 0–21 with cancer and the occurrence of in-hospital deaths associated with COVID-19 in this population. This cross-sectional study was performed from April 2020 to September 2021 at the pediatric oncology center of a tertiary public hospital affiliated to the Brazilian Public Health System ( Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS) in Northeast Brazil. Due to the pandemic of COVID-19, the oncology center has established as a protocol the regular testing for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR of all children undergoing cancer treatment, admitted to the hospital with cancer-related complications, or even with respiratory symptoms suggestive of COVID-19.