ATC Abstracts

American Transplant Congress abstracts

  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
    • 2022 American Transplant Congress
    • 2021 American Transplant Congress
    • 2020 American Transplant Congress
    • 2019 American Transplant Congress
    • 2018 American Transplant Congress
    • 2017 American Transplant Congress
    • 2016 American Transplant Congress
    • 2015 American Transplant Congress
    • 2013 American Transplant Congress
  • Keyword Index
  • Resources
    • 2021 Resources
    • 2016 Resources
      • 2016 Welcome Letter
      • ATC 2016 Program Planning Committees
      • ASTS Council 2015-2016
      • AST Board of Directors 2015-2016
    • 2015 Resources
      • 2015 Welcome Letter
      • ATC 2015 Program Planning Committees
      • ASTS Council 2014-2015
      • AST Board of Directors 2014-2015
      • 2015 Conference Schedule
  • Search

Outcomes and Complications of Covid-19 in Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Patients

L. Ott, P. Scalise, B. Kimball, A. G. Cuenca

Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA

Meeting: 2022 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: 974

Keywords: COVID-19, Outcome, Pediatric

Topic: Clinical Science » Infection Disease » 24 - All Infections (Excluding Kidney & Viral Hepatitis)

Session Information

Session Name: All Infections (Excluding Kidney & Viral Hepatitis) II

Session Type: Poster Abstract

Date: Sunday, June 5, 2022

Session Time: 7:00pm-8:00pm

 Presentation Time: 7:00pm-8:00pm

Location: Hynes Halls C & D

*Purpose: The purpose of the study was to examine the clinical course, outcomes, and complications of COVID-19 in pediatric solid organ transplant patients from a single institution, with special attention to thrombotic complications, multiple inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), and new rejection.

*Methods: The medical record at our institution was retrospectively queried for all solid organ transplant patients up to 21 years old diagnosed with COVID-19 from March 2020 to September 2021. This cohort was compared in a 1:1 fashion with age, sex, and ethnicity-matched controls with COVID-19 infection, but no history of transplant. Categorical variables were analyzed with Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test, and continuous variables were analyzed with Mann-Whitney test.

*Results: 44 solid organ transplant patients met study inclusion criteria. Six patients were excluded from analysis due to insufficient documentation of COVID-19 diagnosis or course. The cohort was composed of 17 kidney, 11 heart, six liver, two lung, one liver-kidney, and one multivisceral transplant patients. Median age at COVID-19 diagnosis was 15 years (IQR 9). Median time from transplant to COVID-19 diagnosis was 2.5 years (IQR 3.4). Of the 38 patients, 17 were white non-Hispanic/Latino (44.7%), 12 were Hispanic/Latino (31.6%), three were Black (7.9%), two were Asian (5.3%), three were other (7.9%), and one was unknown (2.6%). 19 patients (50%) were male.

12 transplant patients were asymptomatic (31.6%), compared to five controls (13.2%, p=0.054). Of the symptomatic patients, the most common symptoms in the solid organ transplant group were fever (26.3%) and headache (18.4%), with few patients experiencing shortness of breath (5.3%). Hospital (15.8%) and ICU (5.3%) admission rates were equal in both groups, with a median length of stay of 4.5 days for the transplant group (IQR 5.25) versus 4 days (IQR 5.75) for controls (p=0.59).

32 patients in each group received supportive care as outpatients (84.2%). A minority of transplant patients received monoclonal antibody (6.3%), convalescent plasma (6.3%), steroids (6.3%), and remdesivir (3.1%). There was one case of MIS-C in the transplant group (2.6%) versus three in the control group (7.9%) (p=0.62). One transplant patient developed COVID-associated microangiopathy (2.6%), but there were no thrombotic complications among controls (p > 0.99). There were no new cases of cellular or antibody-mediated rejection following COVID-19. There was one death in the transplant cohort, but no deaths in the control group.

*Conclusions: We report the largest multi-organ cohort of pediatric solid organ transplant recipients with COVID-19 to date. Our findings suggest pediatric solid organ transplant patients fare similarly to healthy children, without elevated risk of complications.

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Ott L, Scalise P, Kimball B, Cuenca AG. Outcomes and Complications of Covid-19 in Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Patients [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2022; 22 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/outcomes-and-complications-of-covid-19-in-pediatric-solid-organ-transplant-patients/. Accessed May 9, 2025.

« Back to 2022 American Transplant Congress

Visit Our Partner Sites

American Transplant Congress (ATC)

Visit the official site for the American Transplant Congress »

American Journal of Transplantation

The official publication for the American Society of Transplantation (AST) and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) »

American Society of Transplantation (AST)

An organization of more than 3000 professionals dedicated to advancing the field of transplantation. »

American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS)

The society represents approximately 1,800 professionals dedicated to excellence in transplantation surgery. »

Copyright © 2013-2025 by American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Cookie Preferences