- The study authored by Dr Vineet Mishra, Director-IKDRC among others have found that the outcomes of kidney transplant after Covid-19 recovery are excellent with absence of Covid-19 sequelae (infection) during follow-ups.
- The multi-centre study was conducted through retrospective analysis of clinical data in 23 Indian transplant centres from June 2020 to December 2021 on 372 kidney transplant recipients recovered after Covid-19 infections.
NE HEALTH BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, MARCH 29
Kidney transplant recipients have exhibited almost negligible chance of mortality coupled with lower levels of acute rejection after recovering from Covid-19 infection, a study led by Institute of Kidney Diseases & Research Centre (IKDRC) doctors and published in prestigious medical journal ‘eClinicalMedicine by The Lancet’ on Monday said.
The study titled ‘Management Strategies and Outcomes in Renal Transplant Recipients Recovering from Covid-19: A Retrospective, Multi-centre, Cohort study’ has found prominence on the front cover of prestigious journal. The study has declared that there was no difference in quality of life, tacrolimus (an immunosuppressive drug) levels, blood counts, and mean serum creatinine assessed in patients independent of past Covid-19 infection severity.
The study authored by Dr Vineet Mishra, Director-IKDRC among others have found that the outcomes of kidney transplant after Covid-19 recovery are excellent with absence of Covid-19 sequelae (infection) during follow-ups.
First, second and Omicron wave of Covid-19 triggered a deluge of inquiries and concerns from patients as well as doctors whether to go for kidney transplant in recovered patients or not.
“Our study has discovered that it is safer for covid-19 recovered patients to undergo transplant without fear and anxiety albeit with a safeguard checklist for better outcomes,” Dr Vineet Mishra, the author of the study said in a statement on Monday. The study has also found that there seems to be no need for changes in the induction/immunosuppression regimen based on the severity of Covid-19 for kidney transplant recipient.
‘eClinicalMedicine by The Lancet’ is an open access clinical journal that publishes original research to help frontline health professionals navigate the complex and rapid health transitions facing societies worldwide
The multi-centre study was conducted through retrospective analysis of clinical data in 23 Indian transplant centres from June 2020 to December 2021 on 372 kidney transplant recipients recovered after Covid-19 infections.
The study also observed additional outcome measures like graft loss, all-cause mortality, waiting time from a positive real-time polymerase test (RT-PCR) to kidney transplant, laboratory parameters, and quality of life in follow-up, the statement said.
“With a past medical history of Covid-19 (365 living and seven deceased donor transplants) across 23 transplant centres in India. Insights from our study may help transplants professionals in developing an early regional plan for transplanting patients,” Dr Mishra, the lead author of the study, opined.
According to data accessible on the Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation website, the total annual number of organ transplants performed in India has increased from 4990 in 2013 to 12,666 in 2019. Similarly, the rate of organ donation has increased two-fold since 2013 (340 in 2013 versus 715 in 2019), the study said.
Currently, India is ranked third for transplantation activities behind the United States and China. The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic has had a negative influence on organ donation, and transplantation activities in India with total organ transplant rates of 7443 in 2020 compared to 12,666 in 2019. As of December 1, 2021 India had the second-most Covid-19 cases worldwide. Patients waiting for organ transplants have also been shown to be adversely affected during that period. Owing to the logistics and changing priorities during the pandemic, a marked decline in transplantation rates have been observed across the globe.
