Clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients

. The pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is characterized by significant morbidity and mortality. Kidney transplant recipients are at high risk of a more severe course of coronavirus infection due to ongoing immunosuppression, a high comorbidity index, and elder age. Aim . To investigate the features of the clinical course, the treatment applied and also the outcomes of the new coronavirus infection in patients after kidney transplantation. Material and methods . The retrospective study included 69 adult kidney transplant recipients continuously followed-up by our transplant nephrology service and who fell ill with COVID-19 from April 2020 till February 2021. The comparison study of the clinical pattern, laboratory and instrumental test results, treatment features and outcomes was made. Results . The most common clinical symptoms were hyperthermia (85.5%, n= 59), weakness (65.2%, n=45) and cough (52.2%, n=36), other symptoms were significantly less common. In 89.5% of cases (n=60), the virus ribonucleic acid was detected at least once by polymerase chain reaction; in 10.5% of cases (n=7), the polymerase chain reaction results were negative. According to CT, the extent of lung tissue lesion was identified as CT1 stage in 28 patients (46.7%), CT2 stage in 24 (40%); and only in 8 (13%) patients the lesion was assessed as CT3. Later on the number of patients with more than 50% lung damage increased to 16 (26.7%) and in 1 case the severity of lung tissue damage was consistent with CT4. Typical features for all patients were anemia and lymphopenia of varying severity, hypoproteinemia, increased serum creatinine and urea, C-reactive protein, ferritin, procalcitonin and D-dimer in the laboratory test results. The treatment included antiviral, antibacterial, anticoagulant therapy, corticosteroids, biological anti-cytokine drugs. In 95% of cases (n=66), the maintenance immunosuppressive therapy was changed up to complete withdrawal of the certain components. The patient survival rate with a functioning graft was 76.8% (n=53), the graft loss was observed in 4.3% of cases (n=3), and the lethal outcome was reported in 18.8% (n=13). The cause of death was a severe respiratory distress syndrome with multiple organ dysfunction complicated by sepsis and septic shock in 8 patients (61.5%). Invasive ventilation and hemodialysis were associated with 17.2 (p <0.00001). Immunosuppression adjustment should be personalized considering the severity of infection, age, comorbidities, post-transplant timeframe, and the risk of rejection.