Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33647552›Full record

ArticleJournal of infection and public health2021

Outcome of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in hematology and oncology patients: A case series in Saudi Arabia.

Ahmed Alaskar, Naila A Shaheen, Mohammed Bosaeed, Hina Rehan, Mushtaq Rather, Hind Salama, Khadega A Abuelgasim, Giamal Gmati, Moussab Damlaj, Bader Alahmari and 4 more

Abstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of infection and public health, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. MERS-COV in the Middle East, a one health concept approach.One health (Amsterdam, Netherlands) · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Ahmed AlaskarDivisions of Adult Hematology and SCT, Department of Oncology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: askaras@ngha.med.sa.
Naila A ShaheenKing Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed BosaeedKing Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Infectious Disease Division, Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Hina RehanDivisions of Adult Hematology and SCT, Department of Oncology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Mushtaq RatherDivisions of Adult Hematology and SCT, Department of Oncology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Hind SalamaDivisions of Adult Hematology and SCT, Department of Oncology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Khadega A AbuelgasimDivisions of Adult Hematology and SCT, Department of Oncology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Giamal GmatiDivisions of Adult Hematology and SCT, Department of Oncology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Moussab DamlajDivisions of Adult Hematology and SCT, Department of Oncology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Bader AlahmariDivisions of Adult Hematology and SCT, Department of Oncology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Mohsen AlzahraniDivisions of Adult Hematology and SCT, Department of Oncology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Adel OthmanKing Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
May Anne MendozaKing Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Ayman AlhejaziDivisions of Adult Hematology and SCT, Department of Oncology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMiddle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is associated with a high fatality rate (34%), which is higher in the presence of co-morbidities. The aim of the current study was to assess the clinical course and the outcome in hematological or oncological malignancy cases, diagnosed with MERS-CoV.

methodsThis is a case series of hematological /oncological cases, diagnosed with MERS-CoV, in a tertiary care setting in 2015. The cases were identified based on the World Health Organization (WHO) MERS-CoV case definition. The demographic, clinical, and outcome data were retrieved from the patients' medical charts and electronic health records.

resultsIn total, nine hematological or oncological cases were identified, diagnosed with MERS-CoV. The baseline malignant condition was hematological malignancy in seven patients, as well as colon cancer and osteosarcoma in one patient each. Six (67%) patients were male. The median age was 65 years (range 16-80 years). Co-morbidities included chronic kidney disease (n = 3.33%), diabetes mellitus (n = 3.33%), and hypertension (n = 2.22%). The presenting symptoms were shortness of breath (n = 6.66%), fever (n = 5.55%), cough (n = 2.22%), and diarrhea (n = 2.22%). Chest x-rays indicated bilateral infiltrates in 6 patients (66%). The PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test was repeated in six patients to confirm the diagnosis. The mortality rate was 100%, and the median time to death was 26 days (range 15-77 days).

conclusionMERS-CoV infection in this small cohort of hematology or oncology patients has a 100% mortality rate, regardless of the status of the underlying disease. The confirmation of the diagnosis may require repeated testing. Additional studies are required to verify the findings and to elucidate the disease pathogenesis in cancer patients.

Indexed as

Coronavirus InfectionsHematologic DiseasesMiddle East Respiratory Syndrome CoronavirusNeoplasmsAdolescentAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleSaudi ArabiaInfectionMalignancyMiddle East Respiratory SyndromeMortality

Identifiers

PMID33647552
PMCPMC7982909

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.