Thoracic transplantation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

The worldwide pandemic caused by COVID-19, resulting from the infection by betacoronarvirus SARS-CoV-2, has dramatically altered healthcare worldwide. Due to the highly contagious nature of SARS-CoV2, coupled with hospitals and intensive care units being overwhelmed, numerous transplant programs either slowed or shut down completely. While there have been isolated reports of COVID-19 in transplant recipients, no study to date has examined how COVID-19 affected actual transplant patterns and outcomes in the United States. Of particular importance is the impact of COVID-19 on mortality in waitlisted patients and transplant recipients. Using the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) dataset, we compared waitlist and transplant characteristics from 3/2019-8/2019 to 3/2020-8/2020, as well as COVID-19 associated mortality in patients with prior heart or lung transplant or those active on the waitlist. Overall, there was an initial decrease in transplant volume in April 2020; however, volumes have normalized since then, with comparable outcomes to similar calendar months in 2019. Additionally, there were no significant changes in post-transplant outcomes or waiting list mortality. Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it would be beneficial to maintain current practices for thoracic transplantation, to continue to provide this life-saving therapy to those in need.

• Authors: Asvin M Ganapathi, Matthew C Henn, Brent C Lampert, David R Nunley, Ginny Bumgardner, Nahush A Mokadam, Bryan A Whitson
• Journal: Clinical transplantation (Clin Transplant) Vol. 36 Issue 4 Pg. e14575 (04 2022) ISSN: 1399-0012 [Electronic] Denmark
• PMID: 34964517 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)
• Copyright: © 2021 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Chemical References

• RNA, Viral

Topics

• COVID-19 (epidemiology)
• Humans
• Pandemics
• RNA, Viral
• SARS-CoV-2
• Transplant Recipients
• United States
• Waiting Lists