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. 2020 Jun;77(6):742-747.
doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2020.03.030. Epub 2020 Apr 2.

Identification of Kidney Transplant Recipients with Coronavirus Disease 2019

Hui Zhang  1 , Yan Chen  2 , Quan Yuan  3 , Qiu-Xiang Xia  4 , Xian-Peng Zeng  4 , Jing-Tao Peng  4 , Jing Liu  4 , Xing-Yuan Xiao  4 , Guo-Song Jiang  4 , Han-Yu Xiao  4 , Liang-Bo Xie  4 , Jing Chen  4 , Jia-Li Liu  4 , Xiong Xiao  4 , Hua Su  5 , Chun Zhang  5 , Xiao-Ping Zhang  4 , Hua Yang  6 , Heng Li  4 , Zhen-Di Wang  7
Affiliations

Identification of Kidney Transplant Recipients with Coronavirus Disease 2019

Hui Zhang et al. Eur Urol. 2020 Jun.

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.

Keywords: Clinical feature; Coronavirus disease 2019; Kidney transplant recipient.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Timeline of epidemiological and clinical characteristics of kidney transplant recipients infected with COVID-19. Date of symptom onset was defined as origin point, and the contact history was reviewed. Symptoms, CT image, nucleic acid test, hospital stay, and adjustment of immunosuppressive therapy were listed according to the day of illness. COVID-19 = coronavirus disease 2019; CT = computed tomography.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Dynamic profiles of clinical laboratory findings. We chose four time points to record the dynamic profiles of laboratory findings: (1) 1 mo before the symptom onset, (2) when the patient developed symptoms, (3) when the patient was admitted to hospital, and (4) the patient's latest laboratory test.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Chest CT images of patient 3. (A) Transverse chest CT image of patient 3 showed unilateral ground-glass opacity with sparing of subpleural regions on illness day 1. (B) On illness day 8, CT image from patient 3 showed larger lesions in the lower lobe of the left lung with partial consolidation. Figure showed dynamic profiles of white cell count (A), neutrophil count (B), lymphocyte count (C), C-reactive protein (D), blood urea nitrogen (E), creatinine (F), proteinuria (G). CT = computed tomography.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Chest CT images of patient 4. (A) Transverse chest CT image from patient 4 shows bilateral ground-glass opacity with sparing of subpleural regions on illness day 2. (B) CT image on illness day 15 shows multiple consolidations and fibrous stripes in both lungs. CT = computed tomography.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

  • Organ transplantation and COVID-19.
    Garcia VD, Pêgo-Fernandes PM. Garcia VD, et al. Sao Paulo Med J. 2021 Jul-Aug;139(4):301-304. doi: 10.1590/1516-3180.2021.139420052021. Sao Paulo Med J. 2021. PMID: 34190892 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

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