Successful ECMO therapy in a child with COVID‐19‐associated ARDS and acute lymphoblastic leukemia

• Published in: Pediatric Blood & Cancer 2021-09, Vol.68 (9), p.e29100-n/a
• Main Authors: Ebach, Fabian, Hainmann, Ina, Eis‐Hübinger, Anna M., Escherisch, Gabriele, Dilloo, Dagmar, Reutter, Heiko M., Müller, Andreas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia; Child; COVID-19; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; Hematology; Humans; Letter to the Editor; Letters to the Editor; Lymphatic leukemia; Oncology; Pediatrics; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma - complications; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma - drug therapy; Respiratory Distress Syndrome - etiology; Respiratory Distress Syndrome - therapy; SARS-CoV-2
• ISSN: 1545-5009; 1545-5017
• DOI: 10.1002/pbc.29100

The vast majority of children and adolescents are found to exhibit mild symptoms or remain asymptomatic, even in the context of treatment for a malignant disease.1 Most reports of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy for severe SARS-CoV-2-associated pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) involve immunocompetent older children or adolescents.2, 3 Here, however, we report on successful ECMO therapy in a 2-year-old boy with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and therapy-induced neutropenia. See PDF.] After 2 days of hydroxychloroquine treatment, remdesivir (2.5 mg/kg daily) was initiated as soon as it was available, following the latest available German consensus guidelines.5 On the sixth day after detection of SARS-CoV-2-RNA (day of infection [DOI] 6), the patient, meanwhile in aplasia, exhibited increased respiratory rates and required oxygen support. Effect of dexamethasone on days alive and ventilator-free in patients with moderate or severe acute respiratory distress syndrome and COVID-19: the CoDEX randomized clinical trial.