COVID‐19 and kidney transplant recipients

Abstract

Background The novel coronavirus has become a global threat and healthcare concern. The manifestations of COVID‐19 pneumonia in transplant patients are not well understood and may have more severe symptoms, longer duration, and a worse prognosis than in immunocompetent populations. Aims This study proposed to evaluate the clinical characteristics of COVID‐19 pneumonia in kidney transplant recipients. Patients/Methods Clinical records, laboratory results, radiological characteristics, and clinical outcome of 24 kidney transplant patients with COVID‐19 pneumonia were evaluated from March 20, 2020, to May 20, 2020. Results The most common symptom was shortness of breath (70.8%), followed by fever (62.5%) and cough (45.8%). Five patients had leukopenia, and only one patient had leukocytosis, while 75% of the patients had a white blood cell (WBC) count in the normal range, and 79% of recipients developed lymphopenia. All of the patients had an elevated concentration of C‐reactive protein and an increase in blood urea levels. Chest CT images of 23 patients (95.8%) showed typical findings of patchy ground‐glass shadows in the lungs. Of the 24 patients, 12 were admitted to ICU (invasive care unit), and ten of 24 patients (41.6%) died, and 14 patients were discharged after complete recovery. Conclusion It seems that COVID‐19 is more severe in transplant patients and has poorer outcomes. Multiple underlying diseases, low O 2 saturation, and multilobar view in chest CT scan may be of prognostic value. However, many SARS‐CoV‐2 demonstrations are similar to those of the general population.

COVID-19 progression in kidney transplant recipients: a single-center case series

“…In our case series, we discussed the clinical characteristics and the outcomes of the first six kidney recipients with COVID-19 in our Hospital. The mortality rate in our patients was in line with similar previous studies [6,7]. Kidney recipients with COVID-19 developed even higher AKI than critically ill patients in Wuhan, China [8].…”

“…Most notably, the mortality rate in our patients was 33.3%, which is nearly consistent with the previous studies Table 2 Laboratory findings of six kidney transplant recipients with COVID-19 on admission ALP alkaline phosphatase, ALT alanine transaminase, AST aspartate aminotransferase, COVID-19 coronavirus disease 2019, Cr creatinine, CRP C-reactive protein, eGFR estimated glomerular filtration rate, ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate, Hb hemoglobin, LDH lactate dehydrogenase, WBC white blood cells a Urine protein is described as: negative, 0 mg/dL; trace, 15-30 mg/dL; 1 + , 30-100 mg/dL; 2 + , 100-300 mg/dL; 3 + , 300-1000 mg/dL; 4 + , more than 1000 mg/dL [6,7]. According to a recent review study, Moris et al [12], reported a cumulative mortality rate of 19.9% in kidney recipients with COVID-19.…”

In-hospital mortality among immunosuppressed patients with COVID-19: Analysis from a national cohort in Spain

“…Patients with SO transplant were younger and had lower dependency level than the non-IS patients; despite this, their mortality odds was much higher. Most reports on COVID-19 transplant patients have been limited to small case series with conflicting results: while some have shown similar outcomes to the general population [ 33 , 34 ], others reported a very high mortality, as found by our study [ 35 , 36 ]. The largest study of SO transplant recipients reported data on 90 patients, of which 68 (76%) were hospitalized, with an in-hospital mortality of 24% [ 35 ].…”

COVID-19 progression in kidney transplant recipients: A single-center case series

“…Most notably, the mortality rate in our patients was 33.3%, which nearly is consistent with previous studies [6,7]. According to a recent review study, Moris, et al [10] reported a cumulative mortality rate of 19.9% in kidney recipients with COVID-19.…”

“…In our case series, we discussed the clinical characteristics and the outcomes of the rst six kidney recipients with COVID-19 in our Hospital. The mortality rate in our patients was in line with similar previous studies [6,7]. Kidney recipients with COVID-19 developed even higher AKI than critically ill patients in Wuhan, China [8].…”