Importance of Frailty in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

BACKGROUND: Frailty is a persistent chronic inflammatory syndrome present in many patients with chronic kidney disease. After kidney transplant (KT), it has been associated with complications such as delayed graft function, hospital readmission, or poorer KT survival. PURPOSE: To assess the impact of frailty on the results of KT. METHODS: Longitudinal prospective study of 65 patients included on the waiting list (WL) between October 2019 and October 2021. We used the FRAIL scale and recorded clinical characteristics, including demographic, dependency scales, and analytical parameters at the moment of the inclusion on the WL and at months 3 and 12 after KT. RESULTS: The mean age was 58 years old, and 70% of KT were men. The comorbidity burden was 26% diabetes, 83% hypertension, and 12% ischemic heart disease. Forty patients (61.5%) presented ≥1 point on the FRAIL scale, and 25 (38.4%) were robust. Frail patients (FRAIL score≥3) had a higher Charlson comorbidity index at the time of KT, a lower Barthel index, and a lower quality of life measured by KDQOL-36. No significant differences were observed in other variables, such as days of admission, surgical complications, or delayed graft function. There were 3 graft losses censored for death and 4 deaths, all in frail or prefrail patients. These patients had lower graft survival (P = .164) and patient survival (P = .096). At 12 months post KT, frailty improved in 67% of patients evaluated. CONCLUSION: Frailty is a common condition among patients on the WL, leading to poorer quality of life, greater dependency, and a higher risk of graft loss and mortality. Frailty conditions can be reversed in many patients after KT.

Humoral Response After SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Kidney Transplant Recipients: Role of Immunosuppression Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Messenger RNA vaccination against COVID-19 has been shown to produce an immune response with sufficient efficacy to prevent natural infection in immunocompetent recipients. However, the response in kidney transplant recipients is low. We aimed to evaluate the specific humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 after vaccination in a population of kidney transplant recipients and assess the main factors associated with a lack of response. METHODS: We undertook a prospective study of 105 kidney transplant recipients and 11 recipients of a combined kidney-pancreas transplant. We analyzed immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M antibodies after the patients received their second and third doses of the messenger RNA 1273 (Moderna) or BNT162b1 (BionTECH-Pfizer) vaccinations between February and November 2021. RESULTS: Mean (SD) age of the 116 patients was 50 (16) years, and 65% were men. They had their transplants for 40 months (IQR, 15-123 months), with 14% undergoing retransplant and 11% sensitized. The maintenance immunosuppression regimen was steroids + tacrolimus + mycophenolate (MMF) in 68% of the patients and any combination with mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor (mTORi) in 28%. A humoral response developed in 40% of the patients 6 weeks (IQR, 4-10 weeks) after receiving the second dose of the vaccine. Of the 67 patients with no response to the second dose, 51 had an analysis of the humoral response after the third dose, which was positive in 16 (31%). A total of 80% received the Moderna vaccine and 20% the BionTECH-Pfizer. No patient experienced major adverse effects after the vaccination. Factors associated with a lack of humoral response to the vaccine were recipient age (odds ratio [OR], 1.02; 95% CI, 1.001-1.05; P = .04), diabetes (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.2-6.9; P = .02), and treatment with MMF (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.08-6.8; P = .03). Treatment with mTORi was associated with a better response to vaccination (OR, 0.3; 95% CI, 0.1-0.9; P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: The humoral response to the COVID-19 vaccine in kidney transplant recipients is poor. Factors related with this lack of immunity are recipient age and diabetes, plus MMF therapy, whereas mTORi therapy was associated with a better response to vaccination.

Risk Factors for Mortality in Stable Kidney Transplant Patients Infected by SARS-CoV-2 in the South of Spain.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has especially affected kidney transplant (KT) recipients, who are more vulnerable than the general population because of their immunosuppressive status and added comorbidities. The purpose of this study was to determine risk factors related to infection and mortality from COVID-19 in KT recipients. METHODS: The study included 113 stable KT recipients who had polymerase chain reaction-confirmed COVID-19 infection between March 2020 and February 2021, from a total of 2150 KT recipients. Outcomes related to patient survival were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean (standard deviation) age of the patients was 56 (14) years; 62% (n = 70) were men. The median time between KT and infection was 88 months (interquartile range, 39-155 months); 90% (n = 102) were on tacrolimus therapy and 81% (n = 92) on mycophenolate mofetil. The clinical presentation was pneumonia (n = 57; 51%), fever (n = 61; 54%), cough (n = 62; 55%), dyspnea (n = 43; 38%), lymphopenia (n = 57; 50%), and gastrointestinal symptoms (n = 28; 25%). A total of 21% (n = 24) required intubation and intensive care unit admission, and 27 patients (25%) were asymptomatic. A total of 9% (n = 10) received hydroxychloroquine therapy plus azithromycin, 11% (n = 12) tocilizumab, 3.7% (n = 4) lopinavir/ritonavir, 49% (n = 55) steroids, 0.9% (n = 1) remdesivir, and 9.3% (n = 11) convalescent plasma. Immunosuppression was reduced in all symptomatic patients. Nineteen patients (17%) died. Cox univariate analysis showed that the factors significantly associated with death were patient age, presence of pneumonia or lymphopenia, and elevated C-reactive protein on admission. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality in KT recipients with COVID-19 is very high, more than for the general population. Risk factors are patient age, presence of pneumonia or lymphopenia, and a higher C-reactive protein level at the time of diagnosis.