ABSTRACT
Background: Organ transplant recipients are vulnerable to multiple infectious agents and in a world with a circulating SARS-CoV-2 virus, it would be expected that patients who are immunosuppressed would have higher mortality. Objective: To determine the COVID-19 mortality in transplant recipients. Methods: We conducted a search in PubMed and Google scholar databases using the keywords for COVID-19 and transplantation. All related studies between January 1, 2020 and May 7, 2020 were reviewed. All relevant published articles related to COVID-19 in transplant recipients were included. Results: 46 articles were included;they studied a total of 320 transplant patients—220 kidney transplant recipients, 42 liver, 19 heart, 22 lung, 8 HSCT, and 9 dual organ transplant recipients. The overall mortality rate was 20% and was variable among different organs and different countries. 65 transplant recipients died of complications attributable to COVID-19;33 were males (15% of males in this cohort), 8 females (8% of females in this cohort), and 24 whose sex was not determined. They had a median age of 66 (range: 32–87) years. The median transplantation duration was 8 years (range: 30 days to 20 years). The most frequent comorbidity reported was hypertensions followed by diabetes mellitus, obesity, malignancy, ischemic heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The most frequent cause of death reported was acute respiratory distress syndrome. Conclusion: Transplant recipients in our cohort had a high mortality rate. However, outcomes were not the same in different countries based on outbreak settings. Mortality was noted in elder patients with comorbidities. © 2020, International Journal of Organ Transplantation Medicine. All Rights Reserved.
ABSTRACT
Background: Outbreak of a novel corona virus was reported in China on December 2019. Sooner, a global spread was reported and WHO announced a public health emergency of international concern and then declared it as a pandemic. Egypt announced the first case on February 14, 2020, and since that time, cases are increasing. Main body: There is increasing need to simplify the practical approach for pediatricians and other health care workers in a step wise manner;how to deal with COVID-19 cases, how to care for the newborn babies as regards to breastfeeding, and how to ensure safety of health care workers assess their risk of infection and management accordingly. A national practical approach guideline was prepared including case definition, diagnosis, and management of pediatric COVID-19 suspected and confirmed cases in an algorithmic pattern. Conclusion: Up to the current knowledge, this is a simple and practical guidance for clinical management of children during the current pandemic.