Thoracic transplantation during the COVID-19 pandemic

Area of Science:

• Medicine
• Immunology
• Public Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, significantly disrupted healthcare systems globally.
• Transplant programs faced challenges due to hospital strain and the virus's contagiousness, leading to reduced activity.
• The impact of COVID-19 on US transplant patterns and patient mortality remained unquantified.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on thoracic organ transplant (heart and lung) volume and outcomes in the US.
• To assess COVID-19's impact on mortality rates for patients on the transplant waitlist and those who received transplants.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) dataset.
• Compared transplant waitlist and recipient data from March-August 2019 to March-August 2020.
• Analyzed COVID-19 associated mortality in heart/lung transplant recipients and waitlisted patients.

Main Results:

• An initial decrease in transplant volume was observed in April 2020, followed by normalization.
• Transplant volumes and patient outcomes in 2020 were comparable to the same period in 2019.
• No significant changes were found in post-transplant outcomes or waitlist mortality attributed to COVID-19.

Conclusions:

• The COVID-19 pandemic did not lead to significant adverse effects on thoracic transplant volume or patient outcomes in the US.
• Current practices for thoracic transplantation should be maintained to ensure continued access to life-saving therapies.
• Ongoing vigilance and adaptation of protocols are essential during the pandemic to support transplant candidates and recipients.