ABSTRACT
Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients are at increased risk of COVID-19 infection because of their suppressed immunity. The available data show that COVID-19 vaccines are less effective in SOT recipients. We aimed to assess the cellular and humoral immunogenicity with an increasing the number of doses of COVID-19 vaccines in SOT recipients and to identify factors affecting vaccine response in this population. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to identify ongoing and completed studies of humoral and cellular immunity following COVID-19 vaccines in SOT recipients. The search retrieved 278 results with 45 duplicates, and 43 records did not match the inclusion criteria. After title and abstract screening, we retained 189 records, and 135 records were excluded. The reasons for exclusion involved studies with immunocompromised patients (non-transplant recipients), dialysis patients, and individuals who had already recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection. After full-text reading, 55 observational studies and randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were included. The proportion of responders appeared higher after the third, fourth, and fifth doses. The risk factors for non-response included older age and the use of mycophenolate mofetil, corticosteroids, and other immunosuppressants. This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrates the immunogenicity following different doses of COVID-19 vaccines among SOT patients. Due to the low immunogenicity of vaccines, additional strategies to improve vaccine response may be necessary.
ABSTRACT
Background: Normal saline is commonly used in the perioperative kidney transplant period; its high chloride content can cause hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis giving a possible advantage to balanced electrolyte solutions due to their lower chloride content. The evidence regarding the best practices in fluid management during kidney transplantation and its effect on the incidence of delayed graft function (DGF) is still limited. Materials and Methods: One hundred thirty-eight patients were included and followed up for seven days after surgery. Administered crystalloid type and volume were compared among patients with and without DGF, along with additional patient and surgical variables. To investigate whether intraoperative fluid type/amount influence DGF, patients were categorized into three groups: those who received mainly (>50%) lactated Ringer's solution, normal saline, or plasmaLyte. A logistic regression analysis was used to define variables independently correlated with DGF, and odds ratios (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were reported. Results: The incidence of DGF was 8.7%. Cold ischemia time independently increased the odds of DGF (OR = 1.006 (95% CI: 1.002-1.011) while fluid type (saline versus PlasmaLyte OR = 5.28, 95% CI: 0.76-36.88) or amount (OR = 1.00, 95% CI: 1.00-1.01) did not significantly modify the odds of DGF. Central venous pressure, systolic blood pressure, and mean arterial pressure were higher in the non-DGF group, but this was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Significant intraoperative acidosis developed in patients who received normal saline compared to those in PlasmaLyte and lactated Ringer's groups; however, acid-base balance and electrolytes did not vary significantly between the DGF and non-DGF groups. Conclusion: DGF was primarily influenced by surgical factors such as cold ischemia time, whereas intraoperative fluid type or amount did not affect DGF incidence.
ABSTRACT
Muslim renal transplant recipients often ask their physicians if performing certain lifestyles or religious obligations may be harmful to their health. Permissibility as advised by an expert Muslim physician is considered as being religiously accepted. A cross-sectional, survey-based study was conducted enquiring what nephrologists would advise their transplant recipients to do, about some lifestyles and religious duties. Fifty-eight nephrologists responded to the survey. Of these, 77% routinely follow-up post-transplant patients; 34% were from Saudi Arabia, 18% from the USA, and 20% from Pakistan. Fifty-four percent of the respondents would let patients with stable graft function fast during Ramadan, while 20% would not recommend fasting at any time following transplantation. This response did not change much if the patient was diabetic although in these patients, not recommending fasting at any time increased to 32%. For kidney donors, fasting would be allowed by 58% of the respondents once the kidney function stabilizes. About 50% would let their patients perform Omrah or obligatory Hajj any time after 12 months following transplantation, and only about 3% would not recommend that at any time after transplantation. For nonobligatory Hajj, 37% and 22%, respectively, would allow. Sixty-one percent would delay the pregnancy in nullipara with stable renal function, and none of the nephrologists would deny the opportunity to pregnancy at any time. In multiparous transplant recipients, the respective frequencies would be 45% and 20%. To our knowledge, this the first study exploring the consensus among Muslim nephrologists regarding the advice they would give on performance of potentially risky lifestyles and religious rituals by Muslim posttransplant patients.
