Introduction
The effect of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on pediatric
oncology patients is unknown. Early reports from China, Europe, and New
York/New Jersey have shown minimal to no risk for morbidity or mortality
in children with cancer and have been unable to find significant risk
factors for severe disease in this patient
population.1,2,3,4,5 Here, we report three patients
with pediatric cancer who developed severe cardiorespiratory dysfunction
(as defined by evidence of heart failure by echocardiogram and/or
intubation secondary to respiratory failure) following COVID-19
infections, with one resultant death. We compared clinical and host
factors between these three patients with severe cardiorespiratory
symptoms to five patients in active treatment at our institution who
tested positive for COVID-19 but did not develop severe
cardiorespiratory symptoms.