TY - JOUR
T1 - COVID-19 and the Response of Transplant Centers
T2 - the Global Response with an Emphasis on the Kidney Recipient
AU - Azzi, Yorg
AU - Brooks, Abigail
AU - Yaffe, Hillary
AU - Greenstein, Stuart
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
PY - 2021/9
Y1 - 2021/9
N2 - Purpose of the Review: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, vulnerable populations, such as transplant patients, were at greater risk than the regular population. In order to protect these populations, transplant centers enacted new guidelines. We approach this review by looking at how different transplant regions responded to COVID-19 and analyze the unifying themes that have proven invaluable in the subsequent waves. Recent Findings: We noticed that most elective surgeries including living donor transplant operations were suspended in most countries. The response to deceased donor transplants varied between countries: in some deceased donor transplants continued with modified donor and recipient criteria, while in other countries this surgery was suspended. There was a general trend of decreasing or holding antimetabolites, treating the virus with hydroxychloroquine and/or azithromycin, and converting outpatient clinics to virtual clinics. Summary: We learned how to carefully select donors and recipients, tailor immunosuppressant regiments, and implement telemedicine. The kidney recipient population can be effectively managed in times of crisis with appropriate accommodations and measures. This review can be a model for the transplant community for future pandemics.
AB - Purpose of the Review: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, vulnerable populations, such as transplant patients, were at greater risk than the regular population. In order to protect these populations, transplant centers enacted new guidelines. We approach this review by looking at how different transplant regions responded to COVID-19 and analyze the unifying themes that have proven invaluable in the subsequent waves. Recent Findings: We noticed that most elective surgeries including living donor transplant operations were suspended in most countries. The response to deceased donor transplants varied between countries: in some deceased donor transplants continued with modified donor and recipient criteria, while in other countries this surgery was suspended. There was a general trend of decreasing or holding antimetabolites, treating the virus with hydroxychloroquine and/or azithromycin, and converting outpatient clinics to virtual clinics. Summary: We learned how to carefully select donors and recipients, tailor immunosuppressant regiments, and implement telemedicine. The kidney recipient population can be effectively managed in times of crisis with appropriate accommodations and measures. This review can be a model for the transplant community for future pandemics.
KW - COVID-19 in the transplant community
KW - Kidney recipients and COVID-19
KW - Review of transplant response to COVID-19
KW - Transplant response to COVID-19
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85109161548&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85109161548&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s40472-021-00330-5
DO - 10.1007/s40472-021-00330-5
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85109161548
SN - 2196-3029
VL - 8
SP - 163
EP - 182
JO - Current Transplantation Reports
JF - Current Transplantation Reports
IS - 3
ER -