1
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Manoel MNF, Santos SP, Amado CAF. Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on the performance of organ transplant services using data envelopment analysis. Health Care Manag Sci 2023:10.1007/s10729-023-09637-4. [PMID: 37099041 PMCID: PMC10130802 DOI: 10.1007/s10729-023-09637-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/27/2023]
Abstract
Organ transplant is one of the best options for many medical conditions, and in many cases, it may be the only treatment option. Recent evidence suggests, however, that the COVID-19 pandemic might have detrimentally affected the provision of this type of healthcare services. The main purpose of this article is to use Data Envelopment Analysis and the Malmquist Index to assess the impact that the pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 had on the provision of solid organ transplant services. To this purpose, we use three complementary models, each focusing on specific aspects of the organ donation and transplantation process, and data from Brazil, which has one of the most extensive public organ transplant programs in the world. Using data from 17 States plus the Federal District, the results of our analysis show a significant drop in the performance of the services in terms of the organ donation and transplantation process from 2018 to 2020, but the results also indicate that not all aspects of the process and States were equally affected. Furthermore, by using different models, this research also allows us to gain a more comprehensive and informative assessment of the performance of the States in delivering this type of service and identify opportunities for reciprocal learning, expanding our knowledge on this important issue and offering opportunities for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Márcia N F Manoel
- Faculty of Economics and Center for Advanced Studies in Management and Economics, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Sérgio P Santos
- Faculty of Economics and Center for Advanced Studies in Management and Economics, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal.
| | - Carla A F Amado
- Faculty of Economics and Center for Advanced Studies in Management and Economics, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
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2
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Sever MS, Vanholder R, Oniscu G, Abramowicz D, Van Biesen W, Maggiore U, Watschinger B, Mariat C, Buturovic-Ponikvar J, Crespo M, Mjoen G, Heering P, Peruzzi L, Gandolfini I, Hellemans R, Hilbrands L. Kidney transplantation during mass disasters - from COVID-19 to other catastrophes A Consensus Statement by the DESCARTES Working Group and Ethics Committee of the ERA. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2023; 38:300–308. [PMID: 36066915 PMCID: PMC9923698 DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfac251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 07/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Mass disasters are characterized by a disparity between health care demand and supply, which hampers complex therapies like kidney transplantation. Considering scarcity of publications on previous disasters, we reviewed transplantation practice during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, and dwelled upon this experience for guiding transplantation strategies in the future pandemic and non-pandemic catastrophes. We strongly suggest continuing transplantation programs during mass disasters, if medical and logistic operational circumstances are appropriate. Postponing transplantations from living donors and referral of urgent cases to safe regions or hospitals are justified. Specific preventative measures in anticipated disasters (such as vaccination programs during pandemics or evacuation in case of hurricanes or wars) may be useful to minimize risks. Immunosuppressive therapies should consider stratifying risk status and avoiding heavy immune suppression in patients with a low probability of therapeutic success. Discharging patients at the earliest convenience is justified during pandemics, whereas delaying discharge is reasonable in other disasters, if infrastructural damage results in unhygienic living environments for the patients. In the outpatient setting, telemedicine is a useful approach to reduce the patient load to hospitals, to minimize the risk of nosocomial transmission in pandemics and the need for transport in destructive disasters. If it comes down to save as many lives as possible, some ethical principles may vary in function of disaster circumstances, but elementary ethical rules are non-negotiable. Patient education is essential to minimize disaster-related complications and to allow for an efficient use of health care resources.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Raymond Vanholder
- European Kidney Health Alliance, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Nephrology Section, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | | | - Wim Van Biesen
- Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Nephrology Section, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Umberto Maggiore
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Bruno Watschinger
- Medical University of Vienna, Department of Medicine III, Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christophe Mariat
- Service de Néphrologie, Dialyse et Transplantation rénale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne, Hôpital NORD, Université de Lyon, Université Jean Monnet, Saint Etienne, France
| | | | - Marta Crespo
- Hospital del Mar, Department of Nephrology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Geir Mjoen
- Section of Nephrology, Department of Transplant Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Peter Heering
- Klinik für Nephrologie und Allgemeine Innere Medizin, Städtisches Klinikum Solingen, Solingen, Germany
| | | | | | - Rachel Hellemans
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Luuk Hilbrands
- Radboud university medical center, Department of Nephrology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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3
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Zhang C, Kodali L, Mour G, Jadlowiec C, Mathur AK. The impact of COVID-19 on kidney transplant care. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 9:1093126. [PMID: 36698806 PMCID: PMC9868174 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1093126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus precipitated the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which placed considerable strain on healthcare systems and necessitated immediate and rapid alterations in the delivery of healthcare. In the transplant population, COVID-19 directly impacts an inherently vulnerable population in the setting of immunosuppression and co-morbidities, but also further complicates the clinical evaluation and management of kidney transplant candidates and recipients in a strained healthcare environment being challenged by the pandemic. Many transplant centers around the world saw mortality rate spikes in organ recipients related to COVID-19, and changes in care delivery abound. This review evaluates the care of the kidney transplant patient through all phases of the process including pre-operative evaluations, perioperative care, post-transplantation considerations, and how the global pandemic has changed the way we care for our patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Zhang
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, United States,Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Lavanya Kodali
- Division of Nephrology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Girish Mour
- Division of Nephrology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Caroline Jadlowiec
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Amit K. Mathur
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, United States,Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, MN, United States,*Correspondence: Amit K. Mathur,
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4
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Plummer NR, Alcock H, Madden S, Brander J, Manara A, Harvey DJ, Gardiner DC. The impact of COVID-19 on organ donation and transplantation in the UK: lessons learned from the first year of the pandemic. Anaesthesia 2022; 77:1237-1250. [PMID: 36099651 DOI: 10.1111/anae.15833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on UK deceased organ donation and transplantation activity. We used national audit data from NHS Blood and Transplant to explore in detail the effects of the pandemic in comparison with 12 months pre-pandemic, and to consider the impact of the mitigating strategies and challenges placed on ICU by 'waves' of patients with COVID-19. Between 11 March 2020 and 10 March 2021, referrals to NHS Blood and Transplant of potential organ donors were initially inversely related to the number of people with COVID-19 undergoing mechanical ventilation in intensive care (incident rate ratio (95%CI) per 1000 patients 0.93 (0.88-0.99), p = 0.018), although this pattern reversed during the second wave (additional incident rate ratio (95%CI) 1.12 (1.05-1.19), p < 0.001). Adjusted numbers of donors (incident rate ratio (95%CI) 0.71 (0.61-0.81), p < 0.001) and organs retrieved (incident rate ratio (95%CI) 0.89 (0.82-0.97), p = 0.007) were inversely dependent on COVID-19 workload, though weekly numbers of transplants were unrelated (incident rate ratio (95%CI) 0.95 (0.86-1.04), p = 0.235). Non-COVID-19 mortality fell from 15,007 to 14,087 during the first wave (rate ratio (95%CI) 0.94 (0.92-0.96), p < 0.001) but climbed from 18,907 to 19,372 during the second wave (rate ratio (95%CI) 1.02 (1.00-1.05), p = 0.018). There were fewer in-hospital deaths from cardiac arrest and intracranial catastrophes throughout (rate ratio (95%CI) 0.83 (0.81-0.86), p < 0.001 and rate ratio (95%CI) 0.88 (0.85-0.91), p < 0.001, respectively). There were overall fewer eligible donors (n = 4282) when compared with pre-pandemic levels (n = 6038); OR (95%CI) 0.58 (0.51-0.66), p < 0.001. The total number of donations during the year fell from 1620 to 1140 (rate ratio (95%CI) 0.70 (0.65-0.76), p < 0.001), but the proportion of eligible donors who proceeded to donation (27%) was unchanged (OR (95%CI) 0.99 (0.91-1.08), p = 0.821). The reduction in donations and transplantation during the pandemic was multifactorial, but these data highlight the impact in the UK of a fall in eligible donors and an inverse relationship of referrals to COVID-19 workload. Despite the challenges faced, the foundations underpinning the UK deceased organ donation programme remained strong.
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Affiliation(s)
- N R Plummer
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK.,East Midlands School of Anaesthesia, Health Education England East Midlands, Leicester, UK
| | - H Alcock
- East Midlands School of Anaesthesia, Health Education England East Midlands, Leicester, UK
| | - S Madden
- NHS Blood and Transplant, Bristol, UK
| | - J Brander
- NHS Blood and Transplant, Bristol, UK
| | - A Manara
- NHS Blood and Transplant, Bristol, UK.,North Bristol NHS Trust, Bristol, UK
| | - D J Harvey
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK.,NHS Blood and Transplant, Bristol, UK
| | - D C Gardiner
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK.,NHS Blood and Transplant, Bristol, UK
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5
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Altomare M, Chierici A, Virdis F, Spota A, Cioffi SPB, Bekhor SS, Del Prete L, Reitano E, Sacchi M, Ambrogi F, Chiara O, Cimbanassi S. Centralization of Major Trauma Influences Liver Availability for Transplantation in Northern Italy: Lesson Learned from COVID-19 Pandemic. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11133658. [PMID: 35806948 PMCID: PMC9267522 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11133658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the centralization of patients allowed trauma and transplants referral centers to continue their routine activity, ensuring the best access to health care. This study aims to analyze how the centralization of trauma is linked with liver allocation in Northern Italy. Methods: Cluster analysis was performed to generate patient phenotype according to trauma-related variables. Comparison between clusters was performed to evaluate differences in damage control strategy procedures (DCS) performed and the 30-day graft dysfunction. Results: During the pandemic period, the centralization of major trauma has deeply impaired the liver procurement and allocation between the transplant centers in the metropolitan area of Milan (Niguarda: 22 liver procurement; other transplant centers: 2 organ procurement). Two clusters were identified the in Niguarda’s series: cluster 1 is represented by 17 (27.4%) trauma donors, of which 13 (76.5%) were treated with DCS procedures, and 4 (23.5%) did not; cluster 2 is represented by 45 trauma donors (72.6%), of which 22 (48.8%) underwent DCS procedures. A significant difference was found in the number of DCS procedures performed between clusters (3.18 ± 2.255 vs. 1.11 ± 1.05, p = 0.0001). Comparative analysis did not significantly differ in the number of transplanted livers (cluster1/cluster2 94.1%/95.6% p = 0.84) and the 30-day graft dysfunction rate (cluster1/cluster2 0.0%/4.8% p = 0.34). Conclusions: The high level of care guaranteed by first-level trauma centers could reduce the loss of organs suitable for donation, maintaining the good outcomes of transplanted ones, even in case of multiple organ injuries. The pandemic period underlined that the centralization of major trauma impairs the liver allocation between transplant centers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Altomare
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
- General Surgery and Trauma Team, ASST Niguarda, Milano, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milan, Italy; (F.V.); (A.S.); (S.P.B.C.); (S.S.B.); (O.C.); (S.C.)
- Correspondence: or
| | - Andrea Chierici
- Centre Hospitalier d’Antibes Juan-les-Pins–Chirugie Digestive, Department of General and Emergency Surgery, 06600 Antibes, France;
| | - Francesco Virdis
- General Surgery and Trauma Team, ASST Niguarda, Milano, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milan, Italy; (F.V.); (A.S.); (S.P.B.C.); (S.S.B.); (O.C.); (S.C.)
| | - Andrea Spota
- General Surgery and Trauma Team, ASST Niguarda, Milano, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milan, Italy; (F.V.); (A.S.); (S.P.B.C.); (S.S.B.); (O.C.); (S.C.)
| | - Stefano Piero Bernardo Cioffi
- General Surgery and Trauma Team, ASST Niguarda, Milano, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milan, Italy; (F.V.); (A.S.); (S.P.B.C.); (S.S.B.); (O.C.); (S.C.)
| | - Shir Sara Bekhor
- General Surgery and Trauma Team, ASST Niguarda, Milano, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milan, Italy; (F.V.); (A.S.); (S.P.B.C.); (S.S.B.); (O.C.); (S.C.)
| | - Luca Del Prete
- General and Liver Transplant Surgery Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy;
| | - Elisa Reitano
- General and Emergency Surgery, Ospedale Maggiore Della Carità di Novara, 28100 Novara, Italy;
| | - Marco Sacchi
- Department Emergenza Urgenza-E.A.S. SOREU Metropolitana, 20161 Milan, Italy;
| | - Federico Ambrogi
- Department of Clinical Science and Community Health, University of Milan, Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milan, Italy;
| | - Osvaldo Chiara
- General Surgery and Trauma Team, ASST Niguarda, Milano, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milan, Italy; (F.V.); (A.S.); (S.P.B.C.); (S.S.B.); (O.C.); (S.C.)
- Department of Medical-Surgical Physiopathology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Stefania Cimbanassi
- General Surgery and Trauma Team, ASST Niguarda, Milano, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milan, Italy; (F.V.); (A.S.); (S.P.B.C.); (S.S.B.); (O.C.); (S.C.)
- Department of Medical-Surgical Physiopathology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Festa del Perdono 7, 20122 Milan, Italy
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6
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Akbulut S, Sahin TT, Ince V, Yilmaz S. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on clinicopathological features of transplant recipients with hepatocellular carcinoma: A case-control study. World J Clin Cases 2022; 10:4785-4798. [PMID: 35801031 PMCID: PMC9198872 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i15.4785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a significant impact on the management of all diseases. Various diseases such as cancer have a higher risk of COVID-19-related death. Despite this fact, any delay or alteration in treatment of cancer may have fatal consequences. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive liver cancer that requires multimodality treatment to improve survival.
AIM To evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the management of patients with HCC by determining changes in demographic, clinical and histopathological variables.
METHODS Demographic, clinical and pathological variables of patients with HCC who had undergone liver transplantation between March 2020 and June 2021 (Pandemic group, n = 48) were retrospectively compared with that of the patients with HCC transplanted between November 2018 and March 2020 (Pre-pandemic group, n = 61).
RESULTS The median age of the patients in the study was 56 (interquartile range = 15). Ninety-seven patients (89%) were male and 12 were female (11%). The most common etiology of liver disease was hepatitis B virus (n = 52, 47.7%). According to our results, there was a 21.3% drop in the number of patients transplanted for HCC. There was no difference in the demographic, clinical and pathological characteristics of the patients except blood alkaline phosphatase levels (P = 0.029), lymphovascular invasion (P = 0.019) and type of the liver graft that was transplanted (P = 0.017).
CONCLUSION It is important to develop a surveillance strategy for liver transplant centers. The liver transplantation for HCC is justified and safe provided that strict surveillance protocols are applied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sami Akbulut
- Surgery and Liver Transplant Institute, Inonu University Faculty of Medicine, Malatya 44280, Turkey
| | - Tevfik Tolga Sahin
- Surgery and Liver Transplant Institute, Inonu University Faculty of Medicine, Malatya 44280, Turkey
| | - Volkan Ince
- Surgery and Liver Transplant Institute, Inonu University Faculty of Medicine, Malatya 44280, Turkey
| | - Sezai Yilmaz
- Surgery and Liver Transplant Institute, Inonu University Faculty of Medicine, Malatya 44280, Turkey
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7
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Papalois V, Kotton CN, Budde K, Torre-Cisneros J, Croce D, Halleck F, Roze S, Grossi P. Impact of COVID-19 on Global Kidney Transplantation Service Delivery: Interim Report. Transpl Int 2022; 35:10302. [PMID: 35418803 PMCID: PMC8996250 DOI: 10.3389/ti.2022.10302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
This article gives a personal, historical, account of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on transplantation services. The content is based on discussions held at two webinars in November 2020, at which kidney transplantation experts from prestigious institutions in Europe and the United States reflected on how the pandemic affected working practices. The group discussed adaptations to clinical care (i.e., ceasing, maintaining and re-starting kidney transplantations, and cytomegalovirus infection management) across the early course of the pandemic. Discussants were re-contacted in October 2021 and asked to comment on how transplantation services had evolved, given the widespread access to COVID-19 testing and the roll-out of vaccination and booster programs. By October 2021, near-normal life and service delivery was resuming, despite substantial ongoing cases of COVID-19 infection. However, transplant recipients remained at heightened risk of COVID-19 infection despite vaccination, given their limited response to mRNA vaccines and booster dosing: further risk-reduction strategies required exploration. This article provides a contemporaneous account of these different phases of the pandemic from the transplant clinician’s perspective, and provides constructive suggestions for clinical practice and research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vassilios Papalois
- Renal and Transplant Directorate, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Vassilios Papalois,
| | - Camille N. Kotton
- Infectious Diseases Division, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Klemens Budde
- Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julian Torre-Cisneros
- Maimonides Institute for Biomedical Research of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Reina Sofía University Hospital, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
- CIBER of Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Davide Croce
- Research Centre in Health Economics and Healthcare Management, Carlo Cattaneo University, Castellanza, Italy
| | - Fabian Halleck
- Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stéphane Roze
- Vyoo Agency, Health-Economics Department, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Paolo Grossi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit, ASST-Sette Laghi, Varese, Italy
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8
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Weiss MJ, Hornby L, Foroutan F, Belga S, Bernier S, Bhat M, Buchan CA, Gagnon M, Hardman G, Ibrahim M, Luo C, Luong ML, Mainra R, Manara AR, Sapir-Pichhadze R, Shalhoub S, Shaver T, Singh JM, Srinathan S, Thomas I, Wilson LC, Wilson TM, Wright A, Mah A. Clinical Practice Guideline for Solid Organ Donation and Transplantation During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Transplant Direct 2021; 7:e755. [PMID: 34514110 PMCID: PMC8425831 DOI: 10.1097/txd.0000000000001199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted health systems worldwide, including solid organ donation and transplantation programs. Guidance on how best to screen patients who are potential organ donors to minimize the risks of COVID-19 as well as how best to manage immunosuppression and reduce the risk of COVID-19 and manage infection in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTr) is needed. METHODS Iterative literature searches were conducted, the last being January 2021, by a team of 3 information specialists. Stakeholders representing key groups undertook the systematic reviews and generation of recommendations using a rapid response approach that respected the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations frameworks. RESULTS The systematic reviews addressed multiple questions of interest. In this guidance document, we make 4 strong recommendations, 7 weak recommendations, 3 good practice statements, and 3 statements of "no recommendation." CONCLUSIONS SOTr and patients on the waitlist are populations of interest in the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, there is a paucity of high-quality evidence to guide decisions around deceased donation assessments and the management of SOTr and waitlist patients. Inclusion of these populations in clinical trials of therapeutic interventions, including vaccine candidates, is essential to guide best practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Weiss
- Transplant Québec, Montréal, QC, Canada
- CHU de Québec - Université Laval Research Center, Population Health and Optimal Health Practices Research Unit, Trauma-Emergency-Critical Care Medicine, Université Laval, QC, Canada
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program (CDTRP), Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Laura Hornby
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program (CDTRP), Ottawa, ON, Canada
- System Development - Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation, Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Farid Foroutan
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sara Belga
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Mamatha Bhat
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Multiorgan Transplant Program, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - C Arianne Buchan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Michael Gagnon
- Division of Nephrology and Multi-Organ Transplant Program, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Gillian Hardman
- National Health Service Blood and Transplant, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Ibrahim
- National Health Service Blood and Transplant, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Kings College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Cindy Luo
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Me-Linh Luong
- Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Rahul Mainra
- Division of Nephrology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
- St. Paul's Hospital, Saskatchewan Transplant Program, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Alex R Manara
- National Health Service Blood and Transplant, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth Sapir-Pichhadze
- Division of Nephrology and Multi-Organ Transplant Program, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sarah Shalhoub
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Tina Shaver
- Southern Alberta Organ and Tissue Donation Program, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jeffrey M Singh
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, ON, Canada
- Trillium Gift of Life Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sujitha Srinathan
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ian Thomas
- National Health Service Blood and Transplant, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Lindsay C Wilson
- System Development - Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation, Canadian Blood Services, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - T Murray Wilson
- Transplant Research Foundation of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Patient Partner, Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program
- The Alberta ORGANization Group, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Alissa Wright
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Allison Mah
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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9
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Aubert O, Yoo D, Zielinski D, Cozzi E, Cardillo M, Dürr M, Domínguez-Gil B, Coll E, Da Silva MI, Sallinen V, Lemström K, Midtvedt K, Ulloa C, Immer F, Weissenbacher A, Vallant N, Basic-Jukic N, Tanabe K, Papatheodoridis G, Menoudakou G, Torres M, Soratti C, Hansen Krogh D, Lefaucheur C, Ferreira G, Silva HT, Hartell D, Forsythe J, Mumford L, Reese PP, Kerbaul F, Jacquelinet C, Vogelaar S, Papalois V, Loupy A. COVID-19 pandemic and worldwide organ transplantation: a population-based study. Lancet Public Health 2021; 6:e709-e719. [PMID: 34474014 PMCID: PMC8460176 DOI: 10.1016/s2468-2667(21)00200-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preliminary data suggest that COVID-19 has reduced access to solid organ transplantation. However, the global consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on transplantation rates and the effect on waitlisted patients have not been reported. We aimed to assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on transplantation and investigate if the pandemic was associated with heterogeneous adaptation in terms of organ transplantation, with ensuing consequences for waitlisted patients. METHODS In this population-based, observational, before-and-after study, we collected and validated nationwide cohorts of consecutive kidney, liver, lung, and heart transplants from 22 countries. Data were collected from Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2020, along with data from the same period in 2019. The analysis was done from the onset of the 100th cumulative COVID-19 case through to Dec 31, 2020. We assessed the effect of the pandemic on the worldwide organ transplantation rate and the disparity in transplant numbers within each country. We estimated the number of waitlisted patient life-years lost due to the negative effects of the pandemic. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04416256. FINDINGS Transplant activity in all countries studied showed an overall decrease during the pandemic. Kidney transplantation was the most affected, followed by lung, liver, and heart. We identified three organ transplant rate patterns, as follows: countries with a sharp decrease in transplantation rate with a low COVID-19-related death rate; countries with a moderate decrease in transplantation rate with a moderate COVID-19-related death rate; and countries with a slight decrease in transplantation rate despite a high COVID-19-related death rate. Temporal trends revealed a marked worldwide reduction in transplant activity during the first 3 months of the pandemic, with losses stabilising after June, 2020, but decreasing again from October to December, 2020. The overall reduction in transplants during the observation time period translated to 48 239 waitlisted patient life-years lost. INTERPRETATION We quantified the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on worldwide organ transplantation activity and revealed heterogeneous adaptation in terms of organ transplantation, both at national levels and within countries, with detrimental consequences for waitlisted patients. Understanding how different countries and health-care systems responded to COVID-19-related challenges could facilitate improved pandemic preparedness, notably, how to safely maintain transplant programmes, both with immediate and non-immediate life-saving potential, to prevent loss of patient life-years. FUNDING French national research agency (INSERM) ATIP Avenir and Fondation Bettencourt Schueller.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Aubert
- Université de Paris, INSERM, PARCC, Paris Translational Research Centre for Organ Transplantation, Paris, France; Kidney Transplant Department, Necker Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Daniel Yoo
- Université de Paris, INSERM, PARCC, Paris Translational Research Centre for Organ Transplantation, Paris, France
| | - Dina Zielinski
- Université de Paris, INSERM, PARCC, Paris Translational Research Centre for Organ Transplantation, Paris, France
| | - Emanuele Cozzi
- Transplant Immunology Unit, Department of Cardio-Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padua, Italy; Italian National Transplant Center, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Cardillo
- Italian National Transplant Center, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Michael Dürr
- Division of Nephrology and Internal Intensive Care Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Ville Sallinen
- Department of Transplantation and Liver Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Karl Lemström
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Karsten Midtvedt
- Department of Transplant Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
| | - Camilo Ulloa
- Nephrology Department, Clínica Alemana de Santiago-UDD, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Annemarie Weissenbacher
- Department of Visceral, Transplant and Thoracic Surgery, Center of Operative Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Natalie Vallant
- Department of Transplant Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Nikolina Basic-Jukic
- Department of Nephrology, Arterial Hypertension, Dialysis and Transplantation, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Kazunari Tanabe
- Department of Urology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | - Martin Torres
- Instituto Nacional Central Único Coordinador de Ablación e Implante (INCUCAI), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carlos Soratti
- Instituto Nacional Central Único Coordinador de Ablación e Implante (INCUCAI), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniela Hansen Krogh
- Instituto Nacional Central Único Coordinador de Ablación e Implante (INCUCAI), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carmen Lefaucheur
- Université de Paris, INSERM, PARCC, Paris Translational Research Centre for Organ Transplantation, Paris, France; Department of Nephrology and Kidney Transplantation, Saint-Louis Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Gustavo Ferreira
- Department of Medicine, Santa Casa de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil
| | - Helio Tedesco Silva
- Division of Nephrology, Hospital do Rim, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - John Forsythe
- NHS Blood and Transplant, Stoke Gifford, Bristol, UK
| | - Lisa Mumford
- Statistics and Clinical Studies, NHS Blood and Transplant, Bristol, UK
| | - Peter P Reese
- Université de Paris, INSERM, PARCC, Paris Translational Research Centre for Organ Transplantation, Paris, France; Department of Medicine, Renal-Electrolyte and Hypertension Division, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | | | - Serge Vogelaar
- Eurotransplant International Foundation, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Vassilios Papalois
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Alexandre Loupy
- Université de Paris, INSERM, PARCC, Paris Translational Research Centre for Organ Transplantation, Paris, France; Kidney Transplant Department, Necker Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.
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Nassar M, Nso N, Ariyaratnam J, Sandhu J, Mohamed M, Baraka B, Ibrahim A, Alfishawy M, Zheng D, Bhangoo H, Soliman KM, Li M, Rizzo V, Daoud A. Coronavirus disease 2019 and renal transplantation. World J Clin Cases 2021; 9:7986-7997. [PMID: 34621855 PMCID: PMC8462194 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i27.7986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ever since the severe acute respiratory syndrome virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) struck the world, global health strategies have changed significantly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, kidney transplant recipients are stratified as being high risk of developing fatal illness from COVID-19 infection. Kidney transplant is the gold-standard treatment for end-stage kidney disease subjects. During the pandemic, significant concerns have emerged regarding continuation of kidney transplant surgeries and management of kidney transplant recipients post-transplant. The added risk of immunosuppression in this cohort was and remains a theoretical concern, posing a potential risk of transplantation rather than benefit. This comprehensive review aims to cover most of the faced challenges in kidney transplantation in different stages of the pandemic. In addition, it will elucidate the epidemiology, nature, course of the disease, surgical consideration in donors and recipients as well as role of immunosuppression and management of COVID-19 infected kidney transplant recipients during these extraordinary circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud Nassar
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (NYC Health and Hospitals: Queens), New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Nso Nso
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (NYC Health and Hospitals: Queens), New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Jonathan Ariyaratnam
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (NYC Health and Hospitals: Queens), New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Jasmine Sandhu
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (NYC Health and Hospitals: Queens), New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Mahmoud Mohamed
- Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, United States
| | - Bahaaeldin Baraka
- Department of Oncology, Southend University Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, Essex SS0 0RY, United Kingdom
| | - Atif Ibrahim
- Renal Division, Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, United States
| | - Mostafa Alfishawy
- Infectious Diseases, Infectious Diseases Consultants and Academic Researchers of Egypt IDCARE, Cairo 0000, Egypt
| | - David Zheng
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (NYC Health and Hospitals: Queens), New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Harangad Bhangoo
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (NYC Health and Hospitals: Queens), New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Karim M Soliman
- Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, United States
| | - Matthew Li
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (NYC Health and Hospitals: Queens), New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Vincent Rizzo
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (NYC Health and Hospitals: Queens), New York, NY 11373, United States
| | - Ahmed Daoud
- Department of Medicine, Kasr Alainy Medical School, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt
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11
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Kwapisz M, Małkowski P, Tronina O, Wasiak D, Czerwiński J, Polak WG, Kosieradzki M. Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Solid Organ Transplantation During 2020 in Poland Compared with Countries in Western Europe, Asia, and North America: A Review. Med Sci Monit 2021; 27:e932025. [PMID: 34480012 PMCID: PMC8425269 DOI: 10.12659/msm.932025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, due to infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which began in March 2020, affected organ donor acceptance and rates of heart, lung, kidney, and liver transplants worldwide. According to data reported to POLTRANSPLANT, the number of solid organ transplants decreased by over 35% and the number of patients enlisted de novo for organ transplantation was reduced to 70% of its pre-COVID-19 volume in Poland. Most transplant centers in Western Europe and the USA have also drastically reduced their activity when compared to the pre-pandemic era. Areas of high SARS-CoV-2 infection incidence, like Italy, Spain, and France, were most affected. Significant decreases in organ donation and number of transplant procedures and increase in waitlist deaths have been noted due to overload of the healthcare system as well as uncertainty of donor SARS-CoV-2 status. Intensive care unit bed shortages and less intensive care resources available for donor management are major factors limiting access to organ procurement. The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on transplant activities was not so adverse in Asia, as a result of a strategy based on experience gained during a previous SARS pandemic. This review aims to compare the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on solid organ transplantation during 2020 in Poland with countries in Western Europe, North America, and Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Kwapisz
- Department of General and Transplantation Surgery, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Małkowski
- Department of Surgical and Transplantation Nursing and Extracorporeal Therapies, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Olga Tronina
- Department of Transplantation Medicine, Nephrology, and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dariusz Wasiak
- Department of Surgical and Transplantation Nursing and Extracorporeal Therapies, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jarosław Czerwiński
- Department of Emergency Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- Polish Transplant Coordinating Center POLTRANSPLANT, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Wojciech G. Polak
- Department of Surgery, Division of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) and Transplant Surgery, Erasmus MC, Transplant Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maciej Kosieradzki
- Department of General and Transplantation Surgery, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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12
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Immunosuppressants. REACTIONS WEEKLY 2021. [PMCID: PMC7954694 DOI: 10.1007/s40278-021-92424-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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13
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Laessle C, Schneider J, Pisarski P, Fichtner-Feigl S, Jänigen B. Experiences and Short-Term Outcomes of Kidney Transplantation During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic From a Medium-Volume Transplantation and Superregional Coronavirus Disease 2019 Treatment Center. Transplant Proc 2021; 53:1146-1153. [PMID: 33640166 PMCID: PMC7816559 DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2021.01.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Introduction The coronavirus, which first appeared in 2019, developed into a pandemic during 2020. It remains unclear to what extent the pandemic endangers the safety of kidney transplantation programs. In this study, we evaluated the short-term outcomes of our patients receiving a kidney transplant during the first phase and compared them with patients who received a kidney transplant immediately before the coronavirus pandemic. Materials and Methods Our retrospective study includes 34 kidney transplant recipients between October 1, 2019, and April 30, 2020. Nineteen patients from the phase immediately prior to the first coronavirus wave (pre-corona group), and 15 patients from the phase of the first coronavirus wave (corona group) were studied. We retrospectively evaluated demographic data, postoperative short-term outcomes and complications, immunosuppression regime, coronavirus infection status, and behavior during the first phase of the pandemic. Results There were no differences between the 2 groups regarding short-term outcomes and postoperative complications or in immunosuppressive medication. After the introduction of intensified hygienic conditions and routine swabs prior to transplantation, no nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infections occurred. In the outpatient setting, none of the patients developed a SARS-CoV-2 infection. The majority of patients performed voluntary quarantine. Conclusions The short-term outcomes after kidney transplantation during the first phase of the coronavirus pandemic were comparable to pre-pandemic patients, and no SARS-CoV-2-associated death or transplant failure occurred in our small cohort. We considered patient compliance with hygiene and self-isolation measures very high. Nevertheless, in further phases of the pandemic, the continuation of the living kidney donation program must be critically evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Laessle
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Johanna Schneider
- Department of Medicine IV, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Przemyslaw Pisarski
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Fichtner-Feigl
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bernd Jänigen
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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