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A case of successful treatment of severe COVID‐19 pneumonia with favipiravir and tocilizumab in post–kidney transplant recipient
Author(s) -
Thammathiwat Theerachai,
Tungsanga Somkanya,
Tianka Kanitha,
Torvorapanit Pattama,
Chumpangern Worawat,
Udomkarnjananun Suwasin,
Avihingsa Yingyos,
Sriprasart Thitiwat,
Srisawat Nattachai,
Jutivorakool Kamonwan,
Paitoonpong Leilani,
Putcharoen Opass,
Townamchai Natavudh
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
transplant infectious disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.69
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1399-3062
pISSN - 1398-2273
DOI - 10.1111/tid.13388
Subject(s) - medicine , tacrolimus , tocilizumab , ritonavir , azithromycin , prednisolone , pneumonia , immunosuppression , lopinavir , hydroxychloroquine , kidney transplantation , gastroenterology , surgery , transplantation , immunology , viral load , infectious disease (medical specialty) , antibiotics , covid-19 , disease , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , antiretroviral therapy , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
We report a case of COVID‐19 in kidney transplant patient in Thailand. A 58‐year‐old 2 years post–kidney transplant recipient, with maintenance immunosuppression of tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and prednisolone, presented with acute diarrhea which followed by fever on day 12. Symptoms of pneumonia together with lymphopenia from complete blood count were developed on day 7 after onset of fever with the x‐ray finding of bilateral multifocal patchy infiltration. COVID‐19 infection has been confirmed by reverse real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in nasal swab as well as found in stool. Darunavir together with ritonavir, hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, and favipiravir was initiated on the first day of admission at primary hospital. Patient has been transferred to our hospital on day 2 of admission in which tacrolimus together with MMF was discontinued. High‐flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy was required on days 4‐5 of hospitalization. Tocilizumab was administered after rising of serum IL‐6 level. Symptoms of pneumonia were improved in which no oxygen treatment required from day 10 of hospitalization. Drug interaction between tacrolimus and anti‐viral treatment leads to severely high level of tacrolimus which caused reversible acute kidney injury (AKI) after supportive treatment.