Treatment and Long-Term Outcome of COVID-19 Disease in Children with Inborn Errors of Immunity (IEI): Does Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) Have a Protective Effect?

This study analyzed 74 pediatric patients with inborn errors of immunity (IEI) who contracted COVID-19, including 27 who had undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The research found that chronic pulmonary illness, hypogammaglobulinemia, and musculoskeletal abnormalities were major risk factors for severe COVID-19. Mortality was higher in patients with autoinflammatory syndromes and innate immune defects. There was no significant difference in COVID-19 severity between post-HSCT patients and the broader IEI cohort. Long-term effects, such as fatigue, hair loss, and red eye, were observed in both groups, regardless of disease severity. Overall, post-HSCT pediatric patients generally had favorable outcomes.