Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 led to considerable morbidity/mortality worldwide and tremendously impacted on daily life. Strict lockdown measures were implemented early to contain the viral outbreak in Austria. Massive changes in organizational structures of healthcare facilities followed with unclear implications on the care of non-COVID-19-affected patients. We studied the nationwide impact of COVID-19 on kidney transplantation in Austria during the first six months of 2020. Concurrent with general lockdown measures, all kidney transplant activity was suspended from 13 March to 9 April. Nevertheless, between January and June, total transplant (p = 0.48) and procured donor organ numbers (p = 0.6) did not differ significantly from earlier years. Ten (0.18%) of 5512 prevalent Austrian kidney transplant recipients were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2. The case fatality rate (one death; 10%) in renal transplant patients was less than in other countries but higher than in Austria’s general population (2.4%). We conclude that early and strict general lockdown measures imposed by the government allowed an early, however cautious, re-opening of Austrian transplant programs and played a crucial role for the favorable outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 in Austrian kidney transplant patients. Even though it may be uncertain whether similar results may be obtainable in other countries, the findings may support early intervention strategies during similar episodes in the future.
Highlights
After SARS-CoV in 2003 and MERS-CoV in 2012, SARS-CoV-2 has emerged as the source for a third rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak [1]
We retrospectively studied the effects of the pandemic on kidney transplantation and on incident and prevalent transplant recipients in Austria
In the light of rapidly rising numbers of SARS-CoV-2 infections throughout Europe and after a thorough discussion between representatives of the four Austrian transplant centers, it was convened on 13 March 2020 to suspend all kidney transplant activity in the country
Summary
After SARS-CoV in 2003 and MERS-CoV in 2012, SARS-CoV-2 has emerged as the source for a third rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak [1]. COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization [2] and has led to over 28 million reported cases and over 915,000 deaths worldwide [3]. Several larger case series reported on clinical courses and outcomes of COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients in various regions of the world [5,6,7,8,9,10]. Reports from Italy, France and the US that indicated a rapid decline in transplant numbers [11,12,13] prompted us to study the associations and early implications of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the national kidney transplant activity in Austria (population 8.9 million), in which transplant numbers per million inhabitants are among the highest in the world [14]. The decision to pause transplant programs on 13 March was corroborated by the uncertainty regarding possible virus transmission from a donor (if not adequately tested) and the unclear effect of intense post-transplant immunosuppression on viral defense mechanisms of the recipient
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
