SARS-CoV-2 in Kidney Transplant and Waitlisted Patients During the First Peak: The Welsh Experience

Abstract

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) global pandemic has led to many health care services, including transplantation, being temporarily suspended. For transplantation to safely recommence, there is a need to understand the effects of SARS-CoV-2 in transplant and waitlist patients. We identified 21 patients with proven SARS-CoV-2 infection (13 transplant; 8 waitlist) during the first peak of coronavirus disease 2019 in Wales. Median patient age was 57 years (range, 24-69), 62% were male, and all were white. Median body mass index was 29 kg/m² (range, 22-42), and 81% had 1 or more significant comorbidities. Median time from transplant to SARS-CoV-2 infection was 135 months (range, 9-356) and median time since being listed was 17.5 months (range, 5-69) for waitlisted patients. Seventeen patients were admitted to the hospital (81%), 18% (n = 3) in intensive care unit, and 5 patients died (4 transplant recipients and 1 waitlist patient; 24%). Two of the 4 transplant patients who died had recent malignancy. Although the mortality of hospitalized transplant patients was high, their infection rate of 0.87% meant that the overall mortality of transplant patients due to SARS-CoV-2 was low and comparable to that of patients on the waitlist. These data provide confidence in restarting the transplant program, provided that a series of measures aiming to avoid infections in newly transplanted patients are taken.