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Background: Studies addressing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) in patients with hematological malignancies have reported mortality rates of up to 40%; however, included predominantly hospitalized patients. Methods: During the first year of the pandemic, we followed adult patients with hematological malignancies treated at a tertiary center in Jerusalem, Israel, who contracted COVID‐19, with the aim of studying risk factors for adverse COVID‐19‐related outcomes. We used remote communication to track patients managed at home‐isolation, and patient questioning to assess the source of COVID‐19 infection, community versus nosocomial. Results: Our series included 183 patients, median age was 62.5 years, 72% had at least one comorbidity and 39% were receiving active antineoplastic treatment. Hospitalization, critical COVID‐19, and mortality rates were 32%, 12.6%, and 9.8%, respectively, remarkably lower than previously reported. Age, multiple comorbidities, and active antineoplastic treatment were significantly associated with hospitalization due to COVID‐19. Treatment with monoclonal antibodies was strongly associated with both hospitalization and critical COVID‐19. In older (≥60) patients not receiving active antineoplastic treatment, mortality, and severe COVID‐19 rates were comparable to those of the general Israeli population. We did not detect patients that contracted COVID‐19 within the Hematology Division. Conclusion: These findings are relevant for the future management of patients with hematological malignancies in COVID‐19‐affected regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This national Israeli multicenter retrospective study aimed to characterize the clinical course of COVID-19 infection among patients with hematological malignancies, with special emphasis on treatment efficacy and outcome. Clinical and laboratory data from haemato-oncological patients diagnosed with COVID-19 from 16 medical centers were centrally reported. Multivariate regression analyses were used to determine variables associated with severe disease, hospitalization, and mortality. In total, 313 patients were included: 103 (35.7%) developed severe/critical respiratory infection, 178 (61.4%) were hospitalized, and 60 (20.0%) died. Age > 70 years was associated with severe/critical disease (p = 0.036) and mortality (p = 0.023), hypertension with severe/critical disease (p = 0.046) and hospitalization (p = 0.001), active haemato-oncological treatment with hospitalization (p = 0.009), and remdesivir treatment was associated with decreased mortality (p = 0.021). Convalescent plasma, enoxaparin, and corticosteroids resulted in no clinical benefit. In conclusion, COVID-19 infection seems particularly severe in patients with hematological malignancies, and of all examined therapies, remdesivir appears to be the most effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]