Impact of COVID-19-associated Mucormycosis in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Multicenter Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM) is a recently emerging entity. There is a lack of reports of CAM in organ transplant recipients.

METHODS

We conducted a multicenter (n = 18) retrospective research in India during November 2020 to July 2021. The purpose of this study was to explore the clinical spectrum, outcome and risk factors for mortality of CAM in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs).

RESULTS

The incidence of CAM was 4.4% (61/1382 COVID-19-positive KTRs) with 26.2% mortality. The median age of the cohort was 45 (38-54) y. Twenty (32%) were not hospitalized and 14 (22.9%) were on room air during COVID-19. The proportion of postdischarge CAM was 59.1%, while concurrent CAM was reported in 40.9%. The presentation of CAM was 91.8% rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis and 8.2% pulmonary with 19.6% and 100% mortality, respectively. In the univariable analysis, older age, obesity, difficulty of breathing, high-flow oxygen requirement, and delay in starting therapy were significantly associated with mortality. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, patients requiring high-flow oxygen therapy [odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 9.3 (1.6-51); P = 0.01] and obesity [odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 5.2 (1-28); P = 0.05] was associated with mortality. The median follow-up of the study was 60 (35-60) d.

CONCLUSIONS

We describe the largest case series of CAM in KTRs. Morality in pulmonary CAM is extremely high. Severe COVID-19 pose extra risk for the development of CAM and associated mortality. Our report will help in better understanding the conundrum and management of CAM.

Is Early COVID-19 in Kidney Transplant Recipients Concerning Enough to Halt Transplantation? A Multicenter Comparative Analysis from India

BACKGROUND

Limited data exist on the incidence and outcome of early coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in kidney transplantation recipients (KTR).

METHODS

A retrospective multicenter research study was conducted across 12 centers in India. We explored the symptomatology, demographic, laboratory findings, and outcome of COVID-19 within 30 days of transplantation. The outcome was compared with the overall KTR and waitlisted patients acquiring COVID-19.

RESULTS

The incidence of early COVID-19 was 2.6% (n = 22) for the cumulative 838 renal transplants performed since nationwide lockdown in March 2020 until May 2021. Overall, 1049 KTR were diagnosed with COVID-19 and 2% of those had early COVID-19. The median age of the early COVID-19 cohort was 43 (31-46) years. COVID-19 severity ranged from asymptomatic (18.2%), mild (59.1%), moderate (9.1%), and severe (13.6%). Among clinical symptoms, dyspnea and anosmia were frequent, and in laboratory parameters, neutrophil lymphocyte ratio, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and D-dimer were higher in patients requiring oxygen. The mortality in early COVID-19 was not higher than overall KTR (4.5% vs 8.5%; P = 1). COVID-19 severity (23.9% vs 15.7%; P = .0001) and mortality (15.5% vs 8.5%; P = .001) among waitlisted patients (n = 1703) were higher compared with overall KTR.

CONCLUSIONS

We report higher burden of COVID-19 in waitlisted patients compared with KTR and a favorable outcome in early COVID-19 in KTR. Our report will help the transplant physicians in dealing with the ongoing dilemma of halting or resuming transplantation in the COVID-19 era.

A Multicenter Cohort Study of Indian Centers on Reoccurring SARS-CoV-2 Infections in Kidney Transplant Recipients

OBJECTIVES

There is scarcity of data on reoccurrence of SARS-CoV-2 infections in kidney transplant recipients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective multicenter cohort study and identified 13 kidney transplant recipients (10 living and 3 deceased donors) with recurrent COVID-19, and here we report demographics, immunosuppression regimens, clinical profiles, treatments, and outcomes.

RESULTS

COVID-19 second infection rate was 0.9% (13/1350) in kidney transplant recipients with a median age of 46 years; median time interval from transplant to first episode of COVID-19 diagnosis was 9.2 months (interquartile range, 2.2-46.5 months). The most common comorbidities were hypertension (84%) and diabetes (23%). Fever was significantly less common with recurrent COVID-19. COVID-19 severity ranged from asymptomatic (23%), mild (31%), and moderate (46%) during the first infection and asymptomatic (8%), mild (46%), and severe (46%) in the second infection. All 6 kidney transplant recipients with severe second infections died. The median interval between the 2 episodes based upon reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction COVID-19-positive tests was 135 days (interquartile range, 71-274 days) without symptoms. Statistically significant risk factors for mortality were dyspnea (P = .04), disease severity (P = .004), allograft dysfunction (P < .05), higher levels of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (P = .05), and intensive care unit/ventilator requirement (P = .004). Although our limited resources did not allow for molecular diagnostics and typing, we suggest that these second episodes were reinfections with SARS-CoV-2.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this is the largest study of kidney transplant recipients with reoccurring SARS-CoV-2 infection, and we observed 46% mortality.

Dialysis Vascular Access: Where do Tunneled Catheters Stand? - A Single-Center Experience

Introduction

Tunneled cuffed catheters (TCC) provides a short and intermediate-term access solution for dialysis patients who fail to get an arteriovenous fistula (AVF). They are associated with high morbidity and mortality along with high rates of infectious complications.

Methods

We present a single-center prospective cohort of 159 TCCs inserted over one year. Patients were dialyzed in-hospital and in various peripheral dialysis units attached to the institute. The primary endpoint was catheter drop-out.

Results

The mean age of patients was 41.8 ± 16.9 years. The right internal jugular vein was the commonest site of TCC insertion (66%). The absence of suitable veins was the predominant reason for TCC insertion. The mean time to catheter drop-out was 134.4 ± 83.3 days (5-399 days). Death with a working catheter was the most common cause of catheter drop-out (22.6%). About 25% of catheters were lost to catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI), either alone or as overlap with poor flow. CRBSI rates were 3.74 episodes per 1000 catheter-days. No difference in survival between the staggered tip and split-tip catheters was found.

Conclusions

With the advent of the "hub and spoke" model for dialysis in the public sector healthcare, TCCs are suboptimal with regards to patient and catheter survival, with high infection rates. It must be regarded as a temporary solution and AVF creation should be prioritized.

Pentoxifylline Plus Prednisolone versus Pentoxifylline Only for Severe Alcoholic Hepatitis: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Background:

Prednisolone and pentoxifylline (PTX) have been shown to be individually useful in severe alcoholic hepatitis with Maddrey discriminant function (MDF) score ≥32. Previous report suggests that PTX is probably superior to prednisolone alone. However the efficacy of PTX and prednisolone combination over PTX alone in the management of acute alcoholic hepatitis (MDF score ≥32) is yet unrevealed.

Aim:

The present study was initiated to find out the efficacy of combined pentoxifylline and prednisolone versus PTX alone in acute alcoholic hepatitis in respect of short and intermediate term outcomes.

Subjects and Methods:

A total of 124 patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis (MDF score ≥ 32) initially were evaluated. 62 patients who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria were randomized and divided into 2 groups. Group 1 received PTX only, whereas Group 2 received PTX plus Prednisolone. The total duration of follow-up was 12 months. Student's t-test, Chi-square test, the Kaplan-Meier methods were used for statistical analysis.

Results:

A total of 60 patients, 30 in each group were available for final analysis. In Group-1, 6 patients expired at the end of 1 year (5 within 3 months and another after 3 months). In Group 2, 10 patients expired at the end of 1 year (9 within 3 months and another after 3 months). Though survival probability is higher among Group 1 patients but the difference is not statistically significant.

Conclusion:

The combination of PTX plus Prednisolone yields no additional benefit in terms of mortality and morbidity from that of PTX monotherapy.

Repair of ultraviolet-light-induced DNA damage in vibrio cholerae

Repair of ultraviolet-light-induced DNA damage in a highly pathogenic Gram-negative bacterium, Vibrio cholerae, has been examined. All three strains of V. cholerae belonging to two serotypes, Inaba and Ogawa, are very sensitive to ultraviolet irradiation, having inactivation cross-sections ranging from 0.18 to 0.24 m2/J. Although these cells are proficient in repairing the DNA damage by a photoreactivation mechanism, they do not possess efficient dark repair systems. The mild toxinogenic strain 154 of classical Vibrios presumably lacks any excision repair mechanism and studies of irradiated cell DNA indicate that the ultraviolet-induced pyrimidine dimers may not be excised. Ultraviolet-irradiated cells after saturation of dark repair can be further photoreactivated.