COVID-19 in patients with thymic epithelial tumors with or without Good’s syndrome: a single-center retrospective study

期刊论文
出版模式：

开放获取
发表日期：

2024年6月19日

查看全文

Erica Pietroluongo,
Annarita Peddio,
Pietro De Placido,
Marianna Tortora,
Margaret Ottaviano,
Monica Gelzo,
Gustavo Cernera,
Maria Foggia,
Antonio Riccardo Buonomo,
Biagio Pinchera,
Emanuela Zappulo,
Simona Mercinelli,
Letizia Cattaneo,
Alessia Sardanelli,
Giulio Viceconte,
Riccardo Scotto,
Nicola Schiano Moriello,
Alberto Servetto,
Carmine De Angelis,
Grazia Arpino,
Giovannella Palmieri,
Sabino De Placido,
Roberto Bianco,
Giuseppe Castaldo,
Ivan Gentile,
Mario Giuliano

摘要

Introduction

Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) are rare neoplasms often associated with immune-related disorders. Patients with Good’s syndrome (GS), an adult-acquired TET-related immunodeficiency, are at a high risk of mortality due to infectious diseases. This study aims to examine COVID-19 occurrence and severity in TET patients, with or without GS.

Methods

Clinical records of TET patients referred to the Regional Coordinating Center for Rare Tumors of Campania Region were retrospectively collected. During the observation period, elapsing from March 2020 to April 2023, the following data were collected: occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 infection; COVID-19 severity, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH) illness categories; COVID-19 treatment. COVID-19 occurrence and severity were assessed in the overall population and correlated with the presence of GS and/or other immune-related dysregulations.

Results

Overall, 47 TET patients were included in the study; 27 of these (57.4%) had GS. All participants had received a full cycle of mRNA vaccine for SARS-CoV2., Thirty-one patients (66.0%) experienced COVID-19, of whom 18 (58.0%) had previously received a diagnosis of GS. No significant association of GS and/or other immune-related dysregulations with SARS-CoV-2 infection occurrence was detected (Fisher’s exact test p = 1 and p = 0.3587, respectively). Among patients with GS, 8 (45.0%) reported a COVID-19 severity score of ≥ 3; whereas, only 1 of the 13 patients without GS (7.7%) had a severity score of ≥ 3. The correlation between presence of GS and COVID-19 severity (score 1 or 2 vs. ≥ 3) was statistically significant (p = 0.0448). No statistically significant association between COVID-19 severity and other immune-related syndromes were found (p = 1). Of note, all the hospitalized patients for NIH 4 and 5 COVID-19 had GS.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that TET patients, especially those with GS, require a careful multidisciplinary monitoring for SARS-CoV-2 infection, in order to establish tailored treatments and prophylactic protocols.