Evolving spectrum but persistent high mortality of COVID-19 among patients on kidney replacement therapy in the vaccine era: the Spanish COVID-19 KRT Registry

COVID-19; Kidney transplant; DialysisCOVID-19; Trasplantament de ronyó; DiàlisiCOVID-19; Trasplante de riñón; DiálisisBackground Kidney replacement therapy (KRT) conferred a high risk for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) related mortality early in the pandemic. We evaluate the presentation, treatment and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients on KRT over time during the pandemic. Methods This registry-based study involved 6080 dialysis and kidney transplant (KT) patients with COVID-19, representing roughly 10% of total Spanish KRT patients. Epidemiology, comorbidity, infection, vaccine status and treatment data were recorded, and predictors of hospital admission, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality were evaluated. Results Vaccine introduction decreased the number of COVID-19 cases from 1747 to 280 per wave. Of 3856 (64%) COVID-19 KRT patients admitted to the hospital, 1481/3856 (38%) were admitted during the first of six waves. Independent predictors for admission included KT and the first wave. During follow-up, 1207 patients (21%) died, 500/1207 (41%) during the first wave. Among vaccinated patients, mortality was 19%, mostly affecting KT recipients. Overall, independent predictors for mortality were older age, disease severity (lymphopaenia, pneumonia) and ICU rejection. Among patient factors, older age, male sex, diabetes, KT and no angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) were independent predictors of death. In KT recipients, individual immunosuppressants were independent predictors of death. Over time, patient characteristics evolved and in later pandemic waves, COVID-19 was mainly diagnosed in vaccinated KT recipients; in the few unvaccinated dialysis patients, ICU admissions increased and mortality decreased (28% for the first wave and 16–22% thereafter). Conclusions The clinical presentation and outcomes of COVID-19 during the first wave no longer represent COVID-19 in KRT patients, as the pandemic has become centred around vaccinated KT recipients. Vaccines lowered the incidence of diagnosed COVID-19 and mortality. However, mortality remains high despite increased access to ICU care.We want to thank all the implicated Spanish centres for their altruist collaboration. A.O. research is supported by FIS/Fondos FEDER [PI18/01366, PI19/00588, PI19/00815, DTS18/00032, ERA-PerMed-JTC2018 (KIDNEY ATTACK AC18/00064 and PERSTIGAN AC18/00071, ISCIII-RETIC REDinREN RD016/0009)], Sociedad Española de Nefrología, FRIAT, Comunidad de Madrid en Biomedicina B2017/BMD-3686 CIFRA2-CM. Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) RICORS program to RICORS2040 (RD21/0005/0001), FEDER funds

Kidney Transplantation Group of the Spanish Society of Nephrology

Document publicat també en castellàThe Board of Directors of the Spanish Society of Nephrology (S.E.N.) approved at its ordinary meeting of 18 December 2012 the creation of a Transplantation Working Group (SENTRA). In accordance with the Regulations of the S.E.N. Working Groups, in promoting the establishment of a working group, four priority aspects must be addressed..

Use of tocilizumab in kidney transplant recipients with COVID-1

Acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with coronavirus infection is related to a cytokine storm with large interleukin-6 (IL-6) release. The IL-6-receptor blocker tocilizumab may control the aberrant host immune response in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) . In this pandemic, kidney transplant (KT) recipients are a high-risk population for severe infection and showed poor outcomes. We present a multicenter cohort study of 80 KT patients with severe COVID-19 treated with tocilizumab during hospital admission. High mortality rate was identified (32.5%), related with older age (hazard ratio [HR] 3.12 for those older than 60 years, P = .039). IL-6 and other inflammatory markers, including lactic acid dehydrogenase, ferritin, and D-dimer increased early after tocilizumab administration and their values were higher in nonsurvivors. Instead, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels decreased after tocilizumab, and this decrease positively correlated with survival (mean 12.3 mg/L in survivors vs. 33 mg/L in nonsurvivors). Each mg/L of CRP soon after tocilizumab increased the risk of death by 1% (HR 1.01 [confidence interval 1.004-1.024], P = .003). Although patients who died presented with worse respiratory situation at admission, this was not significantly different at tocilizumab administration and did not have an impact on outcome in the multivariate analysis. Tocilizumab may be effective in controlling cytokine storm in COVID-19 but randomized trials are needed

Kidney Transplantation Group of the Spanish Society of Nephrology

Document publicat també en castellàThe Board of Directors of the Spanish Society of Nephrology (S.E.N.) approved at its ordinary meeting of 18 December 2012 the creation of a Transplantation Working Group (SENTRA). In accordance with the Regulations of the S.E.N. Working Groups, in promoting the establishment of a working group, four priority aspects must be addressed..

Kidney Transplantation Group of the Spanish Society of Nephrology

Document publicat també en castellàThe Board of Directors of the Spanish Society of Nephrology (S.E.N.) approved at its ordinary meeting of 18 December 2012 the creation of a Transplantation Working Group (SENTRA). In accordance with the Regulations of the S.E.N. Working Groups, in promoting the establishment of a working group, four priority aspects must be addressed..

Respiratory and Gastrointestinal COVID-19 Phenotypes in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed at risk the kidney transplant (KT) population. We describe clinical pictures, risk factors for death, and chances to recovery in a large cohort of KT recipients with COVID-19. Inclusion in a Spanish prospectively filled registry was allowed for KT cases with confirmed COVID-19. Outcomes were assessed as in-hospital mortality or recovery. The study population comprised of 414 patients. Fever, respiratory symptoms, and dyspnea were the most frequent COVID-19-related symptoms, and 81.4% of them had pneumonia. More than one-third of patients showed digestive symptoms at diagnosis, combinations of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Most patients were hospitalized, 12.1% in intensive care units, and 17.6% needed ventilator support. Treatment for COVID-19 included frequently hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, high-dose steroids, lopinavir/ritonavir, and tocilizumab. After a mean follow-up of 44 days, the fatality rate was 26.3%. Pneumonia without gastrointestinal symptoms was associated with a 36.3% mortality (respiratory phenotype), and gastrointestinal symptoms without pneumonia with a 5.3% mortality (gastrointestinal phenotype). The mixed pneumonia and gastrointestinal phenotype showed an intermediate mortality of 19.5% (mixed phenotype). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that age and pneumonia were independently associated with death, whereas the gastrointestinal phenotype was associated with recovery. COVID-19 is frequent among the KT population. Advanced age and pneumonia are the main clinical features associated with a high-mortality rate. Gastrointestinal disease is associated with a more benign course and lower mortality

Evolving spectrum but persistent high mortality of COVID-19 among patients on kidney replacement therapy in the vaccine era: the Spanish COVID-19 KRT Registry.

Kidney replacement therapy (KRT) conferred a high risk for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) related mortality early in the pandemic. We evaluate the presentation, treatment and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients on KRT over time during the pandemic. This registry-based study involved 6080 dialysis and kidney transplant (KT) patients with COVID-19, representing roughly 10% of total Spanish KRT patients. Epidemiology, comorbidity, infection, vaccine status and treatment data were recorded, and predictors of hospital admission, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality were evaluated. Vaccine introduction decreased the number of COVID-19 cases from 1747 to 280 per wave. Of 3856 (64%) COVID-19 KRT patients admitted to the hospital, 1481/3856 (38%) were admitted during the first of six waves. Independent predictors for admission included KT and the first wave. During follow-up, 1207 patients (21%) died, 500/1207 (41%) during the first wave. Among vaccinated patients, mortality was 19%, mostly affecting KT recipients. Overall, independent predictors for mortality were older age, disease severity (lymphopaenia, pneumonia) and ICU rejection. Among patient factors, older age, male sex, diabetes, KT and no angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) were independent predictors of death. In KT recipients, individual immunosuppressants were independent predictors of death. Over time, patient characteristics evolved and in later pandemic waves, COVID-19 was mainly diagnosed in vaccinated KT recipients; in the few unvaccinated dialysis patients, ICU admissions increased and mortality decreased (28% for the first wave and 16-22% thereafter). The clinical presentation and outcomes of COVID-19 during the first wave no longer represent COVID-19 in KRT patients, as the pandemic has become centred around vaccinated KT recipients. Vaccines lowered the incidence of diagnosed COVID-19 and mortality. However, mortality remains high despite increased access to ICU care

Predictors of severe COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients in the different epidemic waves: Analysis of the Spanish Registry

SARS-CoV-2 infection has produced high mortality in kidney transplant (KT) recipients, especially in the elderly. Until December 2020, 1011 KT with COVID-19 have been prospectively included in the Spanish Registry and followed until recovery or death. In multivariable analysis, age, pneumonia, and KT performed ≤6 months before COVID-19 were predictors of death, whereas gastrointestinal symptoms were protective. Survival analysis showed significant increasing mortality risk in four subgroups according to recipient age and time after KT (age 6 months, age 6 and age ≥65 and time ≤6): mortality rates were, respectively, 11.3%, 24.5%, 35.4%, and 54.5% (p < .001). Patients were significantly younger, presented less pneumonia, and received less frequently specific anti-COVID-19 treatment in the second wave (July-December) than in the first one (March-June). Overall mortality was lower in the second wave (15.1 vs. 27.4%, p < .001) but similar in critical patients (66.7% vs. 58.1%, p = .29). The interaction between age and time post-KT should be considered when selecting recipients for transplantation in the COVID-19 pandemic. Advanced age and a recent KT should foster strict protective measures, including vaccination