Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40703318›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in pediatrics2025

Impact of COVID-19 on clinical outcomes and care delivery in pediatric oncology patients in Lebanon in 2020-2023: a retrospective study.

Peter Noun, May Farhat, Hassan Khalife, Jennifer Bou Younis, Mohamad Farhat, Hadi Kabbout, Hammam Haridy, Jihane Moussa, Florence Lefebvre d'Hellencourt, Srinivas Rao Valluri and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in pediatrics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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.

Peter NounDepartment of Pediatrics, Hematology Oncology Unit, Saint George Hospital University Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
May FarhatDepartment of Epidemiology and Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Hassan KhalifeDepartment of Pediatrics Hematology Oncology, Sahel Hospital Medical Center (Lebanese University), Beirut, Lebanon.
Jennifer Bou YounisDepartment of Pediatrics, Hematology Oncology Lebanese University Hospital Geitewi, Beirut, Lebanon.
Mohamad FarhatDepartment of Pediatrics, Hematology Oncology Unit, Saint George Hospital University Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
Hadi KabboutDepartment of Pediatrics, Hematology Oncology CHU Notre Dame Des Secours, Byblos, Lebanon.
Hammam HaridyScientific and Medical Affairs, Emerging Markets, Pfizer Inc., Collegeville, PA, United States.
Jihane MoussaScientific and Medical Affairs, Emerging Markets, Pfizer Inc., Collegeville, PA, United States.
Florence Lefebvre d'HellencourtScientific and Medical Affairs, Emerging Markets, Pfizer Inc., Collegeville, PA, United States.
Srinivas Rao ValluriScientific and Medical Affairs, Emerging Markets, Pfizer Inc., Collegeville, PA, United States.
Julia SpinardiScientific and Medical Affairs, Emerging Markets, Pfizer Inc., Collegeville, PA, United States.
Nadine Al AkouryScientific and Medical Affairs, Emerging Markets, Pfizer Inc., Collegeville, PA, United States.
Moe H KyawScientific and Medical Affairs, Emerging Markets, Pfizer Inc., Collegeville, PA, United States.
Adlette InatiDepartment of Pediatrics, LAU Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chaghoury School of Medicine, Byblos, Lebanon.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the pediatric population worldwide, particularly those with comorbidities who often experience more severe outcomes. However, the impact of COVID-19 on pediatric oncology patients remain poorly understood. Methods: This retrospective observational study examined data from 85 pediatric oncology patients aged <18 years who tested positive for COVID-19 at five study sites across Lebanon from March 2020 to May 2023. Detailed demographic, clinical, treatment, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), and disease outcomes were collected. Outcomes was summarized descriptively and two-sided 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using the Clopper-Pearson method. Results: There was 85 pediatric oncology patients diagnosed with COVID-19, with a mean age of 11.57 years. Of these, 72 patients (84.6%) had hematological malignancies and 13 (15.4%) had solid tumors. Thirteen patients (15.3%) had comorbidities. Treatment delays on oncology care occurred in 61 patients (71.8%). Twelve patients (14.1%) required hospitalization, four of whom needed intensive care unit (ICU) admission, with ICU stays ranging from 1 day to 2 months. COVID-19 related mortality was 4.7%. Discussion: COVID-19 was associated with changes or delay in oncological treatment. In addition, the burden of COVID related hospitalization, intensive care utilization and death were substantial among pediatric cancer patients. Our findings highlight the importance of vaccination in pediatric oncology patients.

Indexed as

carechildrenCOVID-19diagnosisepidemiologymanagementoncologypediatric

Identifiers

PMID40703318
PMCPMC12283570

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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.