Outcomes and Complications of Tocilizumab and Baricitinib use in Transplant Patients with COVID-19

ABSTRACT

Background. Immunomodulators have been shown to improve the outcomes of patients with severe COVID-19. However, it is not known if tocilizumab or baricitinib use would be beneficial in transplant patients who are already receiving immunomodulating agents. Moreover, augmented immunomodulation may increase risk of opportunistic infection. There are few studies analyzing the outcomes and complications of these medications in this population. Methods. This is a detailed review of the medical records of all transplant patients who received tocilizumab or baricitinib for COVID-19 indication at our multistate transplant center from April 2020 to March 2022. Results. A total of 57 transplant patients received tocilizumab (n=48) or baricitinib (n=9) for management of COVID-19. Baseline characteristics are in Table 1. 60% had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. At diagnosis, all patients were lymphopenic (median 0.4 x109 cells/L) with high CRP (median 76.8mg/L) and elevated IL-6 levels (median 145.5pg/ml.). The majority had reduction in transplant immunosuppression (75%) and received remdesivir (86%) and dexamethasone (90%). Majority were admitted to the ICU (68%), including 40% who required invasive mechanical ventilation (Table 2). Almost a third developed bacterial or fungal superinfection. Bacterial infections include respiratory cultures with Klebsiella spp, MRSA, P. aeruginosa, Enterobacter spp and Stenotrophomonas. Blood cultures were positive for Klebsiella spp, MDR P. aeruginosa, E faecalis. Fungal infections include three patients with Aspergillus spp infections who received antifungals. No statistical difference was seen in mortality between patients with infections and not infections group. No statistical difference was seen between type of transplants for infection or mortality. Mortality at 90 days was 46%. Conclusion. Transplant patients who received tocilizumab or baricitinib for severe or critical COVID-19 have poor outcome. This case series found high rates of mortality and opportunistic superinfections after tocilizumab and baricitinib use compared to the current literature. Future directions include a matched case-control study to compare the outcomes in this population.