ABSTRACT
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Kidney transplant recipients are at a higher risk for complications due to comorbid conditions and concurrent immunosuppression. We like to describe a small cohort of kidney transplant recipients with COVID-19 Methods: A single-center, retrospective observational cohort study describing short term outcomes of COVID-19 infection in kidney transplant recipients. Results: A total of 8 kidney transplant recipients were diagnosed with COVID-19 with a mean age of 58 yrs (26-78), predominantly African American (7/8), mean durationfrom transplant 3.5 yrs (1.5-11 yrs). All patients have HTN (8/8), half the patients have Diabetes mellitus-2 (4/8). Common presenting symptoms are fever and shortness of breath. 6/8 patients required hospitalization. 8/8 patients were managed with a reduction of immunosuppression, primarily by decreasing the dose or holding the anti-proliferative agent. 1/8 patients died, 4/6 discharged from hospital, 1/6 still admitted to the hospital with respiratory failure. 5/6 patients required supplemental oxygen. 2/6 patients required ICU stay and 1/6 required mechanical ventilation and renal replacement therapy. 3/6 hospitalized patients received hydroxychloroquine/ Azithromycin combination and 1/6 received Remdesivir. Median hospital stay is 5 days with a mean of 9 days. The patient who required mechanical ventilation and renal replacement is the only recipient who died from COVID-19 at our transplant center. Conclusions: COVID-19 is a novel infection primarily presenting with fever and shortness of breath. The course of illness appears to be severe with the majority of patients requiring supplemental oxygen and a third of hospital admitted patients required ICU stay. Reduction of immunosuppression appears to be helpful, however, no control group available. COVID-19 affected population is predominantly African American (7/8) and older recipients with age > 50 yrs (7/8).