COVID-19 Disease in Kidney Transplant Recipients

Abstract

Aim: Coronavirus infection can lead to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. Information on COVİD-19 infection in patients with kidney transplants (KT) is lacking yet. In our study, clinical, radiological, laboratory features and clinical course of COVİD-19 infection in these patients were investigated. Methods: We retrospectively investigated KT recipient patients with COVID-19 diagnosed between March 15, 2020, and December 15, 2020. Clinical, radiological, laboratory features and clinical course of COVID-19 infection in these patients were recorded. Results: We identified 23 KT recipient patients with COVID-19 infection.

Eighteen KT patients (78.3%) had positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results for COVID-19, 5 patients (21.7%) were negative. Twelve KT patients (52.2%) were male and 11 (47.8%) were female. Fifteen of the KT patients (65.2%) had comorbidity. Thorax computed tomography showed infiltrations in 21 KT patients (91.3%). There were 14 patients (60.8%) with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) below 60 ml/min, who were considered acute renal failure. One patient needed plasma treatment, 2 needed hemodialysis. Mortality rate was 26%. Conclusion: COVİD-19 infection causes kidney failure in patients with kidney transplant. Mortality is high in kidney transplant patients with COVİD-19 infection. Suggested poor prognostic factors increasing death risk are being 60 years or older, recent transplantation, low oxygen saturation level, high WBC count, high CRP level, high troponin level, high D-dimer level, high creatinine level, low GFR value, low sodium level.