Use of Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA for Assessment of Allograft Injury in Kidney Transplant Recipients During the Time of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic.
Transplant Proc
; 52(9): 2592-2595, 2020 Nov.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-720725
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Kidney allograft biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosis of rejection. Under the current extraordinary circumstances of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), in which social distancing is key to limiting the spread of the virus, the model used to provide care to transplant recipients has undergone a very rapid transformation. In the spirit of medical distancing, we have been using the donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) test for screening for rejection.METHODS:
This article describes our experience with this approach between March 15th and May 20th, 2020.RESULTS:
This test was obtained for-cause in 23 patients and for monitoring in 9 patients. Normal results aided in forgoing biopsy in 63% of the patients for whom the test was obtained in the outpatient setting. The test is neither 100% sensitive nor specific for rejection; however, when used in combination with the available clinical information, it can be used for determining whether bringing in a transplant recipient into a medical facility is necessary.CONCLUSIONS:
In the event COVID-19 becomes a long-term challenge for our community, noninvasive biomarkers such as the dd-cfDNA may become more relevant than ever in enhancing our ability to care for our transplant patients while maximizing the distancing measures.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pneumonia, Viral
/
Kidney Transplantation
/
Coronavirus Infections
/
Disease Transmission, Infectious
/
Pandemics
/
Cell-Free Nucleic Acids
/
Graft Rejection
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
English
Journal:
Transplant Proc
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
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