COVID-19 IN LIVER TRANSPLANT PATIENTS: A UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE

ABSTRACT

Aim: We aimed to examine the comorbidity, disease progress and vaccination status of the liver transplant patients followed up in our hospital who had COVID-19. Method: Liver transplant patients with COVID-19 were included between 11 March 2020 and 15 September 2022. Demographic data, disease progress and COVID-19 vaccines were recorded. SPSS24.0 program was used for analysis. The data were analyzed with the chi-square test. P values ​​<0.05 were considered clinically significant. Results: SARS-CoV-2 PCR(+) 16 patients were detected. Twelve (75.0%) patients were male, and the mean age was 49.56 ± 14.0 (24-76). The mean transplant time was 156.69 ± 54.05 months. Four (25.0%) of the five (31.3%) patients with comorbidities had hypertension and one (6.3%) had diabetes. None of the patients had an underlying lung disease. All the patients received immunosuppressive therapy, and the most common combination was the antimetabolite and calcineurin inhibitor group [9 patients (69.2%)]. Nine patients (56.3%) had fever, while six (37.5%) had respiratory symptoms. Two (33.3%) of them had pneumonia. Five (31.4%) patients were hospitalized, and one (20%) was admitted to ICU due to non-invasive mechanical ventilation needs. No patient died due to COVID-19. A statistically significant correlation was found between the presence of fever, respiratory symptoms and hospitalization(p<0.05). Of those vaccinated, 10 (66.7%) were infected before COVID-19 vaccination. Conclusion: The course of COVID-19 in liver recipients without any underlying disease other than transplantation is not different from the healthy population. Immunosuppressive therapy continued in patients with the disease, and two-thirds did not require hospitalization.