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The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic in Portuguese Cancer Patients: A Retrospective Study.

ABSTRACT: Literature reports that SARS-CoV-2 infection in cancer patients may be associated with higher severity and mortality, nevertheless the knowledge is limited. We aimed to describe patients' demographic characteristics and COVID-19 disease outcomes in Portuguese cancer patients. We conducted a retrospective study in a cohort of cancer patients diagnosed with COVID-19. A total of 127 individuals were included: 46.5% males and 53.5% females, with a median age of 72 years. Clinicopathological characteristics were used in univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses to estimate odds ratios for each variable with outcomes adjusting for potential confounders. Our cohort revealed that 84.3% of patients had more than one risk factor for severe disease rather than cancer. In total, 36.2% of patients were admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine, 14.2% developed severe disease, 1.6% required Intensive Care Unit, and mortality was observed in 11.8%. Severe COVID-19 disease was associated with unfit (ECOG PS > 2) patients (p = 0.009; OR = 6.39; 95% CI: 1.60-25.59), chronic kidney disease (p = 0.004; OR = 20.7; 95% CI: 2.64-162.8), immunosuppression (p < 0.001; OR = 10.3; 95% CI: 2.58-41.2), and presence of respiratory symptoms at diagnosis (p = 0.033; OR = 5.05; 95% CI: 1.14-22.4). Increased risk for mortality was associated with unfit patients (p = 0.036; OR = 4.22; 95% CI: 1.10-16.3), cardiac disease (p = 0.003; OR = 8.26; 95% CI: 2.03-33.6) and immunosuppression (p = 0.022; OR = 5.06; 95% CI: 1.27-20.18). Our results demonstrated that unfit and immunosuppressed patients, with chronic kidney disease and cardiac disease, have, respectively, an increased risk for severe disease and mortality related to COVID-19. Hence, this study provides important information on risk factors for severe COVID-19 disease and associated mortality in a Portuguese cancer population.

SUBMITTER: Lima A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8391914 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundOur main objective was to assess the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on cancer services and cancer patients in terms of disease severity, morbidity and mortality. Secondary objectives were to characterize cancer type, affected age groups, gender, comorbidities, infectivity, and to identify cancer treatment delay and its complications after COVID-19 infection.MethodsA retrospective analysis of electronic health records of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infected cancer patients from April 2020 to March 2021 was done. The following parameters were investigated upon-new and follow-up cases during the pandemic and its preceding years (2018-2019, 2019-2020), age, sex, type of cancer, comorbidities, presentation, symptomatology and treatment for COVID-19, time to recovery, complications, delay in treatment and survival outcome. Statistical analysis using chi-square testing was done on the above variables.ResultsThere was a 50.49% reduction in the number of new and follow-up cases as compared to that of the previous years. Seventy-four out of 310 (23.87%) COVID-19 positive cancer patients were aged in their sixth decade with the commonest type being hematological malignancies. A proportion of 84.8% (n=263) patients were asymptomatic. Univariate analysis was statistically significant for mortality with regard to age ≥60 years (P=0.034), type of malignancy (P=0.000178), hypertension (P=0.0028), symptomatology of COVID-19 infection (P=0.0016), site of treatment and oxygen/intervention (P<0.0001). There was an average delay in treatment time of 5 to 6 weeks. Multivariate analysis showed that gastrointestinal (GI) and hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) malignancies and oxygen requirement (>2 L/min) were responsible for the 20.65% mortality rate.ConclusionsThe pandemic significantly affected the care of cancer patients with decreased cases, late presentation, delayed treatment with potentially worse mortality outcome. Although they have decreased immunity, majority were asymptomatic. Most of the fatalities were in the GI and HPB malignancies.

Project description:IntroductionPatients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) do not seem to be at increased risk of infection by SARS-CoV-2, but there is a concern whether immunosuppressive therapy may be associated with more severe disease. Several clinical practice recommendations have been published to help guide IBD care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, few studies have addressed patients' perspectives and fears. We aimed to evaluate Portuguese IBD patients' perspectives on the clinical management of their disease during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic as well as the impact on their professional life.MethodsAn anonymous electronic survey was created using REDCap and was distributed by the Portuguese Association of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (APDI) between May and August 2020. Patients' perspectives on immunosuppressive therapy, disease management, interaction with gastroenterology departments, and the impact of the pandemic in their professional life were assessed. Patients' proposals to improve medical care were also evaluated. Descriptive analysis and logistic regression were performed.ResultsA total of 137 participants answered the survey (79.6% females, mean age 41.7 ± 12.1 years). Although having IBD and receiving treatment with immunosuppressors (thiopurines, steroids, or biologics) were considered promotors of anxiety, most patients (85.4%) agreed that disease remission was a priority and only a minority of patients interrupted their treatment during the pandemic. In multivariate analysis, active disease, biologic treatment, and use of corticosteroids in the last 3 months were perceived by the patients as high-risk features for increased risk of SARS-Cov-2 infection and more severe disease. Fifty-nine patients (44%) believed that their follow-up was influenced by the pandemic and only 58.8% felt that they had the opportunity to discuss their therapeutic options with their doctor. Sixty-three patients (46.0%) were working from home during the pandemic, although this decision was related to IBD and immunosuppressive therapy in only 36.5 and 39.7% of the cases, respectively. Areas where care could have been improved during the pandemic were identified by patients, namely enhancement of the communication with IBD professionals, conciliation of telemedicine with face-to-face appointments, and facilitation of the interaction between patients and employers.ConclusionMost patients agreed that maintaining IBD remission is crucial, and only a minority of the patients stopped their treatment as per their own initiative. IBD status only had a small influence on patients' professional activity during the COVID-19 outbreak, with most changes being related to the pandemic itself.

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The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic in Portuguese Cancer Patients: A Retrospective Study.

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