Identification of Kidney Transplant Recipients with Coronavirus Disease 2019.

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel and lethal infectious disease, posing a threat to global health security. The number of cases has increased rapidly, but no data concerning kidney transplant (KTx) recipients infected with COVID-19 are available. To present the epidemiological, clinical, and therapeutic characteristics of KTx recipients infected with COVID-19, we report on a case series of five patients who were confirmed as having COVID-19 through nucleic acid testing (NAT) from January 1, 2020 to February 28, 2020. The most common symptoms on admission to hospital were fever (five patients, 100%), cough (five patients, 100%), myalgia or fatigue (three patients, 60%), and sputum production (three patients, 60%); serum creatinine or urea nitrogen levels were slightly higher than those before symptom onset. Four patients received a reduced dose of maintenance immunosuppressive therapy during hospitalization. As of March 4, 2020 NAT was negative for COVID-19 in three patients twice in succession, and their computed tomography scans showed improved images. Although greater patient numbers and long-term follow-up data are needed, our series demonstrates that mild COVID-19 infection in KTx recipients can be managed using symptomatic support therapy combined with adjusted maintenance immunosuppressive therapy.

• Authors: Hui Zhang, Yan Chen, Quan Yuan, Qiu-Xiang Xia, Xian-Peng Zeng, Jing-Tao Peng, Jing Liu, Xing-Yuan Xiao, Guo-Song Jiang, Han-Yu Xiao, Liang-Bo Xie, Jing Chen, Jia-Li Liu, Xiong Xiao, Hua Su, Chun Zhang, Xiao-Ping Zhang, Hua Yang, Heng Li, Zhen-Di Wang
• Journal: European urology (Eur Urol) Vol. 77 Issue 6 Pg. 742-747 (06 2020) ISSN: 1873-7560 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 32249089 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2020 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Immunosuppressive Agents

Topics

• Adult
• Betacoronavirus (genetics, immunology, isolation & purification)
• COVID-19
• COVID-19 Testing
• China
• Clinical Laboratory Techniques
• Coronavirus Infections (diagnosis, therapy, virology)
• Female
• Humans
• Immunocompromised Host
• Immunosuppressive Agents (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Kidney Transplantation (adverse effects)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Opportunistic Infections (diagnosis, therapy, virology)
• Pandemics
• Pneumonia, Viral (diagnosis, therapy, virology)
• Predictive Value of Tests
• SARS-CoV-2
• Severity of Illness Index
• Time Factors
• Transplant Recipients
• Treatment Outcome