Decreased Mortality from Sars-CoV-2 Infection in Kidney Transplant Recipients Over the Course of the Pandemic
Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY
Meeting: 2022 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: 996
Keywords: COVID-19, Kidney transplantation, Mortality
Topic: Clinical Science » Infection Disease » 25 - Kidney Infectious Non-Polyoma & Non-Viral Hepatitis
Session Information
Session Name: Kidney Infectious Non-Polyoma & Non-Viral Hepatitis
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: We aimed to investigate the mortality from SARS-CoV-2 in kidney transplant recipients in the Bronx, New York since the beginning of the pandemic
*Methods: Between March 16, 2020 and November 5, 2021, 453 patients were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection. 316 were diagnosed by RT-PCR while the remaining 137 tested positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid IgG and did not have significant symptoms and had not been previously tested by RT-PCR
*Results: Of the 316 patients diagnosed by RT-PCR, 214 patients were hospitalized while 102 patients were managed at home as outpatient. 194 (61.3%) were male, median age 61 years old (IQR: 48-69), predominantly Hispanic (56.2%) and African American (29.5%). 75% received a deceased-donor renal transplant, 58% received anti-thymocyte induction. Most patients were on triple immunosuppression (95% on calcineurin inhibitors, 87% on anti-metabolite, and 97% on prednisone). Hypertension was the most common comorbidity followed by diabetes mellitus, heart disease and lung disease. A total of 65 patients (20.5%) died. The mortality rate was 37 % (47/128) in patients diagnosed between March 16 and April 30, 2020. From May 1, 2020 to end of December 2020 mortality rate has significantly decreased to 11% (7/61). Since the beginning of 2021 till November 5, 2021 the mortality rate is 7.7% (10/129). Twenty-seven patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 despite being partially of fully vaccinated (25 fully vaccinated, 2 after one dose of vaccine). 13/27 (48%) were managed at home while 14/27 (52%) were hospitalized and 2 (7%) of them died. Twenty-eight patients received treatment with casirivimab and imdevimab post diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 starting 2021 and none of those patients have died.
*Conclusions: In summary, mortality from SARS-CoV-2 infection in kidney transplant recipients was higher earlier at the pandemic and has significantly decreased over time. This could be explained by initial exposure of the patients with higher viral load due to lack of personal protection and social distancing. However, since the judicious use of monoclonal antibodies and vaccination, in addition to social distancing protocols and use of facemask, the mortality in kidney transplant recipients has decreased over time.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Azzi YAl, Loarte P, Pynadath C, Liriano L, Ajaimy M, Kapoor S, Yaffe H, Le M, Graham J, Rocca J, Greenstein S, Kinkhabwala M, Akalin E. Decreased Mortality from Sars-CoV-2 Infection in Kidney Transplant Recipients Over the Course of the Pandemic [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2022; 22 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/decreased-mortality-from-sars-cov-2-infection-in-kidney-transplant-recipients-over-the-course-of-the-pandemic/. Accessed May 17, 2025.« Back to 2022 American Transplant Congress