Investigation of Long-Term Follow-up Results of COVID-19 Disease in Kidney Transplant Patients and the Effect of Inactive COVID-19 Vaccine

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the long-term graft functions of kidney transplant recepients (KTR) who have been cured of the COVID-19 and to investigate the role of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine in the clinical course of the disease.Materials and Methods: KTR who had COVID-19 pneumonia between March 2020 and September 2021 were included in the study.. The clinical course of the disease was evaluated in vaccinated patients and compared with those who were not vaccinated. The laboratory information of the patients at the time of admission to the hospital, 6 months and 12 months after the disease was recorded.Results: Of the 83 patients included, 67.5% were male. COVID-19 disease developed in 20 patients after vaccination. Vaccine; it decreased the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) 5.9 fold and hospitalization in the intensive care unit (ICU) 1.4 times fold (p<0.05). In the follow-up, 10 patients died at the first admission to the hospital and no late death was recorded in the first year. Dialysis treatment was started in 5 patients due to graft loss.Conclusion: In kidney transplant patients, graft dysfunction may develop after COVID-19 infection. However, the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine; it can reduce the risks of hospitalization, AKI, and ICU admission.