Adverse Outcomes in Kidney Transplant Recipients with COVID-19

COVID-19 has an adverse impact on kidney function, as has been widely reported since the start of the global pandemic. However, according to Jia-Jin Chen, MD, and colleagues, there are few data available on the burden of COVID-19 on kidney transplant recipients.

The researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis with a random-effect model to examine the rate of mortality, admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), and graft loss in the adult kidney transplant population with COVID-19. Sensitivity analysis, subgroup analysis, and meta-regression were also performed. Results were reported in the Journal of Clinical Medicine [2021;10(21):51-62].

Results demonstrated a pooled mortality rate of 21% (95% confidence interval [CI], 19%-23%), an ICU admission rate of 26% (95% CI, 22%-31%), an invasive ventilation rate of those who required ICU care of 72% (95% CI, 62%-81%), a rate of acute kidney injury of 44% (95% CI, 39%-49%), a rate of kidney replacement therapy of 12% (95% CI, 9%-15%), and a rate of graft loss of 8% (95% CI, 5%-15%).

The authors added, “The meta-regression indicated that advancing age is associated with higher mortality; every increase in age by 10 years was associated with an increased mortality rate of 3.7%. Regional differences in outcome were also detected. Further studies focused on treatments and risk factor identification are needed.”