Page 185 - Haematologica Vol. 110 - January 2025

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Figure 2. Survival of patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection. (A) Survival of the overall cohort of patients included in the study diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection. (B) Survival of patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection using a propensity analysis based on inverse probability of treatment weighting. BR + RM: bendamustine plus rituximab and rituximab maintenance; RCHOP/RCVP + RM: RCHOP/RCVP and rituximab maintenance; adj: adjusted; N: number.
SARS-CoV-2 infection could have an impact on long-term disease control. The previous induction regimen seemed to carry a significant impact on the SARS-CoV-2 infection outcomes, with higher rates of severe disease, hospital- ization, ICU admission, and death due to COVID-19 disease in the bendamustine group. The depletion and impaired cellular function of CD4+ T cells might have been the cause behind the differences observed between induction ther- apies, with probably a longer impact of T-cell suppression in the bendamustine group.
The limitations of this report are based on the retrospec- tive nature of data collection. The seroconversion rate was assessed after vaccination but no data regarding antibody status at the time of SARS-CoV-2 infection were available. Moreover, given the lack of a cohort receiving BR induction without sequential RM, we were unable to confirm if the negative impact observed on SARS-CoV-2 infection out- comes in the BR+RM group was due to the bendamustine induction itself or the RM in this particular setting.
In summary, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, cy- clophosphamide-based regimens coupled with rituximab maintenance appeared to be better tolerated than ben- damustine-rituximab followed by maintenance with this MoAb. Immunocompromised patients with hematologic malignancies should follow the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination recommendations very closely to reduce the risk of severe infections.
Authors
Ángel Serna,1 Víctor Navarro,1 Gloria Iacoboni,1 Laia López,2 Juan- Manuel Sancho,2 Eva González-Barca,3 Alberto López-García,4 Raúl Córdoba,4 Adolfo Sáez,5 Ana Jiménez-Ubieto,5 Ainara Ferrero,6 Tomás García,6 Ángela Sánchez,7 Cristina García,1 Marc Bosch,1 Alba Cabirta,1 Moraima Jiménez,1 Ana Marín-Niebla,1 Francesc Bosch1 and Pau Abrisqueta1
1Servei d’Hematologia, Vall d’Hebron Hospital Universitari, Experimental Hematology, Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona; 2Hematology Department, ICO-IJC-Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona; 3Hematology Department, Institut Catalá d’Oncologia Hospitalet, IDIBELL, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona; 4Fundacion Jimenez Diaz University Hospital, Madrid; 5Servicio de Hematología, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid; 6Hematology Department, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova, Lleida and 7Hematology Department, Department of Hematology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
Correspondence:
P. ABRISQUETA - pabrisqueta@vhio.net
https://doi.org/10.3324/haematol.2024.285219
Received: February 5, 2024. Accepted: July 2, 2024. Early view: July 11, 2024.
©2025 Ferrata Storti Foundation Published under a CC BY-NC license
Disclosures
ASe has received honoraria from Janssen, Incyte, Roche, and AstraZeneca. GI has received honoraria from BMS/Celgene, Novartis, Janssen, AstraZeneca, AbbVie, Miltenyi, and Roche. J-MS has received honoraria from Roche, Gilead, Janssen, Celgene, Servier, Novartis, Mundipharma, Sanofi, and Kern-Pharma, and has held an advisory role for Roche, Janssen, Gilead, Celgene, Bristol Myers, and Celltrion. EG-B has received lecture fees and advisory board fees from Janssen, AbbVie, Gilead, Kiowa, EUSAPharma, Incyte, Lilly, Beigene, Novartis, Takeda, and Roche. AL-G has held an advisory role and has been a speaker for Beigene, Roche, Janssen, AstraZeneca, and AbbVie, and has received travel grants from these companies. RC has received research funding from Pfizer, has held an advisory role for Kyowa- Kirin, Roche, AbbVie, ADC Therapeutics, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Incyte, Takeda, Janssen, and Kite, and has sat on the Speakers Bureau for Roche, AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Takeda, Janssen, and Kite. TG has held a consultancy or advisory role from Janssen, Roche, Gilead, and Celgene, and has received research funding from Janssen and AbbVie. AC has received honoraria from Jazz, AstraZeneca, and Janssen. MJ has received honoraria from GSK and Sanofi. AM-N has held a consultancy or advisory role for Lilly, Kite, Kyowa-Kirin, Takeda, AstraZeneca, Roche, and Janssen, and has received honoraria from Lilly, Kite, Takeda, and Janssen. FB has held a consultancy or advisory role for Novartis, Celgene/BMS, Roche, AstraZeneca, Takeda, Mundipharma, Gilead, AbbVie, Lilly, and Beigene, and has received honoraria from Novartis, Celgene/BMS, Roche, AstraZeneca, Takeda, Karyospharm, Mundipharma, Gilead, AbbVie, Lilly, and Beigene. PA has held a consultancy or advisory role for Roche, AbbVie, BMS, AstraZeneca, Janssen, and Incyte, and has received honoraria from Roche, AbbVie, BMS, AstraZeneca, Janssen, and Sandoz. All the other authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Contributions
Ase, VN and PA conceived the study concept and designed the study. ASe, LL, JS, EG, AL, RC, ASae, AJ, AF, TG, ASan, CG, MB, AC, MJ and AM supplied study material or patients. ASe, LL, JS, EG, AL, RC, ASae, AJ, AF, TG, ASan, CG, MB, AC and MJ collected and assembled data. ASe
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