COVID-19 in hematological malignancy patients: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is an international outbreak of the respiratory illness caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The diseases themselves, as well as the intensity of chemotherapy, lead to significant immunosuppression, leading hematological malignancy patients susceptible to infections. METHODS: This protocol will be performed according to the Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) guidelines and reported follow the Cochrane Collaboration Handbook and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Electronic databases of PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Web of science, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CNKI, CMB, and Wangfang database from the inception to present will be comprehensively and systematically searched without limitations of language, date, and publication status. Observational, retrospective cohort, prospective case-control, cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, or clinical trials will be included. All assessment of study selection, data extraction, and study quality assessment will be independently performed by 2 reviewers. RevMan V.5.3 program and Stata V.12.0 software will be utilized for the methodological quality assessment and statistical analysis. RESULTS: The result of this systematic review will provide evidence for clinicians on the management of COVID-19 patients with hematological malignancy. CONCLUSION: This systematic review will help raise awareness and guide management of COVID-19 patients with hematological malignancy, as well as to improve outcomes in this population. ETHIC AND DISSEMINATION: The content of this article does not involve moral approval or ethical review because no individual data will be collected. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42020187493.