The Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic in Intestinal Rehabilitation and Transplant Patients – International Multicenter Survey
1Duke, Durham, NC, 2Favaloro, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 3Henry Ford, Detroit, MI, 4Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 5UPMC, Edgeworth, PA, 6U Bologna, Bologna, Italy, 7Austin Health, Melbourne, Australia, 8Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 9Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany, 10King's College, London, United Kingdom, 11Hosp Italiano, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 12U Leuven, Brussels, Belgium, 13Kumamoto Univ, Kumamoto, Japan, 14U Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands, 15U Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom, 16Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France, 17UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, 18U Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia, 19U Sahlgrenska, Gothenburg, Sweden
Meeting: 2022 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: 342
Keywords: COVID-19, Intestinal transplantation, Outcome
Topic: Clinical Science » Small Bowel » 66 - Intestinal Transplantation and Rehabilitation
Session Information
Session Name: Intestinal Transplantation and Rehabilitation
Session Type: Rapid Fire Oral Abstract
Date: Monday, June 6, 2022
Session Time: 5:30pm-7:00pm
Presentation Time: 5:30pm-5:40pm
Location: Hynes Room 206
*Purpose: It has been proposed that patients with intestinal failure (IF) and intestine transplant (IT) are at higher risk of severe complications of COVID-19 due to weakened immunity and comorbidities. Multidisciplinary teams had to adapt their clinical approaches in order to keep these patients as safe as possible during the pandemic. Data is lacking.
*Methods: Retrospective, observational, multicenter study performed with 3 surveys to assess COVID-19 practice changes in IF and IT patients.
*Results: 17 centers were included in the analysis; six had a 3 (± 4) months moratorium on performing transplant. Nine delayed their routine follow up including “protocol” biopsies. Nine reported decrease in new referrals. Sixteen incorporated telemedicine. Two reported rehabilitation services (home health, PN deliveries) being affected. In the first survey, 10 centers (59%) reported having IF and IT patients with COVID-19. In the other 2 surveys, a total of 25 IF and IT patients were reported positive for COVID-19. Of the 11 IF patients, 8 were male; 7 were adults, with a mean age of 60 (± 8) years. Nine of them were symptomatic at presentation, with the most prevalent symptoms being fever/chills, cough and sore throat; hospitalization was required in 45.5%, all patients survived. A total of 14 IT patients were positive; 8 were female; all of them were adults, mean age: 47 (± 16) years. All of them were symptomatic at presentation, with the most prevalent symptoms being fever/chills, dyspnea and cough. Hospitalization was required in 50%. Immunosuppression was discontinued in 1 patient, decreased in 5 (all on tacrolimus), and left unchanged in 8 cases; 3 patients (21%) died.
*Conclusions: Many aspects of healthcare have been impacted by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Centers adapted to new paradigms in patient care. Despite the availability of telemedicine, hospitals that treat IF and IT patients have found difficulties to sustain an appropriate home care regimen and referrals. IF patients did not have increased mortality, but IT recipients did, with similar results to those reported for other solid organs.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Segovia M, Fernandez M, Jafri S, Schiano T, Horslen S, Rumbo C, Zanfi C, Testro A, Sharkey L, Braun F, Melendez HVilca, Claria RSanchez, Ceulemans L, Hibi T, Ramish D, Noel G, Dijkstra G, Friend P, Lacaille F, Sudan D, Mazariegos G, Yap J, Herlenius G, Solar H, Gondolesi G. The Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic in Intestinal Rehabilitation and Transplant Patients – International Multicenter Survey [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2022; 22 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/the-effect-of-covid-19-pandemic-in-intestinal-rehabilitation-and-transplant-patients-international-multicenter-survey/. Accessed May 30, 2025.« Back to 2022 American Transplant Congress