Infection Patterns and Survival Among Renal Transplant Recipients.

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Transplantation Immunology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Infections are a major determinant of graft and patient survival after kidney transplantation.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted transplant recipients, with limited data from India.
• Understanding post-transplant infections is crucial for improving outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the types and impact of post-transplant infections on patient and graft survival in Indian kidney transplant recipients.
• To evaluate the association of specific infections, including BK virus and COVID-19, with graft loss.
• To assess overall patient and graft survival rates in the context of infection burden.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective observational study.
• Data collected from renal transplant patients between October 2014 and October 2021.
• Kaplan-Meier survival analysis used.

Main Results:

• 255 infection episodes in 118 patients; bacterial infections were most common (55%).
• Urinary tract infections (70.5%) and COVID-19 (56%) were the most frequent bacterial and viral infections, respectively.
• BK virus and COVID-19 were linked to increased graft loss; COVID-19 caused most infection-related deaths. 1-, 3-, and 5-year patient survival: 98.23%, 96.36%, 92.90%; graft survival: 98.14%, 95.97%, 91.78%.

Conclusions:

• Infections remain a significant concern for kidney transplant recipients.
• Despite a high infection burden and the COVID-19 pandemic, comparable patient and graft survival to Western data were observed.
• Effective infection management strategies are vital for reducing the impact of infections on survival.