Comparison of Outcomes of Covid-19 Between Fully Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Kidney Transplant Recipients and According to the Type of M-RNA Vaccine

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The evidence regarding the clinical effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination in kidney transplant (KT) recipients is limited so far. Our purpose is to analyze the characteristics and outcomes of a large series of KT with COVID-19 breakthrough infection and compare them with unvaccinated patients. As a secondary objective, we analyzed the evolution according to the type of mRNA vaccine administered. Method(s) From April to October 2021, KT recipients with COVID-19, included in the COVID-19 registry of the Spanish Society of Nephrology, were analyzed. Data regarding vaccination status and type of vaccine were collected and outcomes of unvaccinated or partially vaccinated patients were compared with fully vaccinated patients. Result(s) Clinical picture was similar and survival analysis showed no differences between groups 21.7% of fully vaccinated patients and 20.8% of unvaccinated or partially vaccinated died (p=.776). In multivariable analysis age and pneumonia were independent risk factors for death, while vaccination status was not related to mortality. These results remained similar when we excluded patients with partial vaccination as well as when we analyzed exclusively hospitalized patients. Patients vaccinated with mRNA-1273 (Moderna) (n=213) showed a significantly lower mortality than those who received BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) vaccine (n=121) (16.4% vs. 28.8%, p=.002) (HR 0.52, CI 95% 0.31-0.85, p=.010). Conclusion(s) COVID-19 severity in KT patients has remained high and has not improved despite receiving 2 doses of an mRNA vaccine, but the mRNA-1273 vaccine shows higher clinical effectiveness than BNT162b2 in KT recipients with breakthrough infection, so it could be considered as the first option in these patients.