| Abstract [eng] |
Introduction: Kidney transplant recipients are at risk of developing more severe forms of COVID-19. The aim of this study was to compare COVID-19 infection’s clinical course in kidney transplant patients and control group. Methods: Data from 150 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 infection were analyzed. Patients were divided into study (kidney transplantation, n=53) and control (no kidney transplantation, n=97) groups. Demographics, clinical characteristics, treatment and outcomes were assessed. Results: The median patient age was 56,0 (46,0–64,0) years, seventy seven patients (51,3%) were men. The median Charlson comorbidity index was higher in the study group (3,0 vs. 2,0, p<0,001). Hypoxemia on arrival was more frequent (52,6% vs. 22,6%, p<0,001), the NEWS index was higher (2,0 vs. 1,0, p=0,009), and the incidence of pneumonia during hospitalization was higher (88,7% vs. 73,6%, p=0,023) in the control group. In the study group, there were more cases of mild (26,4% vs. 11,3%, p=0,023) and critically severe forms of COVID-19 infection (26,4% vs. 3,1%, p<0,001), of kidney failure (34,0% vs. 1,0%, p<0,001), more patients were treated in the intensive care unit (22,6% vs. 3,1%, p<0,001) and died (18,9% vs. 1,0%, p<0.001). In multivariable analysis, treatment in the intensive care unit, rather than transplantation itself, correlated with higher probability of death (HR=20,71, 95% CI 2,01-213,33, p=0,011). Conclusions: COVID-19 disease course in kidney transplant recipients is heterogeneous and often more severe than in the general population. Although they are hospitalized with fewer symptoms, complications and death are more frequent. Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, kidney transplantation, Charlson comorbidity index, mortality, vaccination. |
