Recovery of moderate COVID-19 disease in a liver transplant recipient on continued immunosuppression

Abstract

BackgroundThe global outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has had an enormous impact on the world. It remains unclear to what extent liver transplant recipients should be considered at a higher risk of severe disease due to the limited data available.Case presentationWe describe a moderate course of COVID-19 in a patient who underwent a liver transplant two years earlier due to Budd-Chiari syndrome. She presented with malaise, headache, dry cough and fever for four days. Immunosuppressive therapy with tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil was continued throughout the course of infection, oxygen therapy was given for a single night and the patient gradually recovered with supportive care only.ConclusionsWith this case report, we demonstrate that liver transplantation and immunosuppression is not necessarily associated with severe COVID-19 disease and emphasize that more information on this matter is urgently required. Withdrawal of immunosuppressive therapy could be associated with a higher mortality.

COVID-19 Minisymposium: Toward a Strategic Roadmap

“…Individual centers report their series of kidney (Lum et al [ 14 ]; Kocak et al [ 15 ]; Hasanoglu et al [ 16 ]; Aziz et al [ 17 ]), organ (Christensen et al [ 18 ]), or liver (Fraser et al [ 19 ]; Pahari et al [ 20 ]) transplantations. In addition, individual cases are presented following kidney (Adrogué et al [ 21 ]; Yamada et al [ 22 ]; Taha et al [ 23 ]), liver (Mathiasen et al [ 24 ]), lung (Renaud-Picard et al [ 25 ]), and heart (Vaidya et al [ 26 ]) transplantations.…”