Evolution of Clinical Care in COVID-Infected Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

Abstract

Purpose of Review In this review, we aim to summarize the evolution of care for the solid organ transplant recipient (SOTR) with COVID-19 disease, based on the current published guidelines and our center’s experience. Recent Findings Oral antiviral medications and monoclonal antibodies are now used with the goal to prevent severe disease. Immunomodulating drugs in addition to antivirals have been used in the treatment of severe COVID-19. Summary With the ongoing pandemic and unique challenges posed by the SOTR, understanding the risk and advancing management and treatment of COVID-19 infections are imperative to the successful care of a transplant recipient. There are many ongoing clinical trials being conducted in hopes of developing novel therapeutics towards COVID-19.

Outcomes of COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients in the vaccination Era: A national multicenter cohort from Thailand

“…Initially, the mortality rate of COVID-19 in KTR was as high as 30 %, but it has decreased to less than 10 % in subsequent periods [ 2 , 14 , 29 , 30 ]. Several factors have contributed to this improvement, including better knowledge of patient care, the use of corticosteroids, appropriate utilization of antiviral medications and monoclonal antibodies, and non-pharmacologic interventions [ [31] , [32] , [33] , [34] , [35] ]. However, largest public health benefits were due to vaccination programs.…”

Multiple Post-SARS-COV2 Infectious Complications in Kidney Transplant Recipient

“…From July 2022 in Poland the monoclonal antibodies: tiksagewimab and cilgawimab are available and recommended as pre-exposure prophylactic medications. These antibodies can provide protection for many who cannot achieve a sufficient immune response to the vaccine, including solid organ recipients [ 20 ]. Perhaps administration of MAB should be considered in recipients unresponsive to vaccination against COVID-19.…”

Designing and analyzing studies of coronavirus disease 2019 and post‐acute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 among immunocompromised individuals

“…In two recent papers, Aslam et al 8 . and Sigler et al 9 . investigated the role of vaccination in preventing symptomatic COVID‐19 among transplant recipients as well as in preventing PASC among those with prior COVID‐19.…”