COVID‐19 and kidney transplant recipients

Abolghasemi, Sara; Mardani, Masoud; Sali, Shahnaz; Honarvar, Negin; Baziboroun, Mana

BACKGROUND: The novel coronavirus has become a global threat and healthcare concern. The manifestations of COVID‐19 pneumonia in transplant patients are not well understood and may have more severe symptoms, longer duration, and a worse prognosis than in immunocompetent populations. AIMS: This study proposed to evaluate the clinical characteristics of COVID‐19 pneumonia in kidney transplant recipients. PATIENTS/METHODS: Clinical records, laboratory results, radiological characteristics, and clinical outcome of 24 kidney transplant patients with COVID‐19 pneumonia were evaluated from March 20, 2020, to May 20, 2020. RESULTS: The most common symptom was shortness of breath (70.8%), followed by fever (62.5%) and cough (45.8%). Five patients had leukopenia, and only one patient had leukocytosis, while 75% of the patients had a white blood cell (WBC) count in the normal range, and 79% of recipients developed lymphopenia. All of the patients had an elevated concentration of C‐reactive protein and an increase in blood urea levels. Chest CT images of 23 patients (95.8%) showed typical findings of patchy ground‐glass shadows in the lungs. Of the 24 patients, 12 were admitted to ICU (invasive care unit), and ten of 24 patients (41.6%) died, and 14 patients were discharged after complete recovery. CONCLUSION: It seems that COVID‐19 is more severe in transplant patients and has poorer outcomes. Multiple underlying diseases, low O(2) saturation, and multilobar view in chest CT scan may be of prognostic value. However, many SARS‐CoV‐2 demonstrations are similar to those of the general population.