Mortality Due to COVID-19 in Renal Transplant Recipients, Related to Variants of SARS-CoV-2 and Vaccination in Mexico.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 infection in transplant patients has shown greater lethality and vaccination in this group of patients has shown less information. The objective of this study is to show the statistics in Mexico of lethality in kidney recipients infected with COVID-19 in relation to vaccination and variants of the coronavirus. METHODS: This is a bibliographic search of kidney transplant recipient patients since the start of the pandemic in Mexico to determine lethality after SARS-CoV-2 compared to the general population and in relation to patients, the 4 most important infectious peaks in the country due to identified variants, and also before and after vaccination. RESULTS: The global lethality is 26.91% from the beginning of the pandemic to April 9, 2022 in kidney recipients in Mexico (130 deaths of 483 infected kidney transplant recipients) compared to the national lethality of 5.60%. Variant B. 1.1.220 represented the highest lethality with 30.43% and the lowest lethality was Omicron with 16.41%. The lethality prior to vaccination was 30.94% and 23.46% after it. CONCLUSION: Both some variants and vaccination have influenced a lower lethality due to COVID-19 in Mexico in kidney transplant patients; It is important to consider global recommendations, such as a third or fourth dose, a combination of mRNA vaccines and vectors in order to reduce lethality in this group of patients.

Compliance With Biochemical Objectives in Patients on Renal Replacement Therapy Before Kidney Transplantation in Mexico.

OBJECTIVES: The biochemical conditions in which patients arrive before renal transplantation (RT) are rarely evaluated; examples of them are found in the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS). The objective of our study was to ascertain the fulfillment of biochemical goals for patients on renal replacement therapy before RT. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Observational, retrospective study of patients who were on a RT protocol between 2012 and 2017 in 2 RT centers in Mexico. The records of 1188 patients with a history of RT and their lab results before transplantation were analyzed. Anthropometric values including hemoglobin, iron levels, calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, urea, creatinine, uric acid, and left ventricular ejection fraction were studied. All values were categorized as low, optimal, or high levels. RESULTS: The fulfillment of pretransplant biochemical objectives for elimination of azotemia (urea and creatinine) was achieved in 60% of the patients. Optimal values for calcium were found in 715 (64%) patients and optimal values for albumin were found in 690 (61.8%) patients. In the case of phosphorus, hemoglobin, uric acid, and parathyroid hormone, the optimal values were below 50%. CONCLUSIONS: It is essential to improve compliance with biochemical and clinical objectives for patients on renal replacement therapy (dialysis, hemodialysis) before RT. Only half of the variables were within the optimal range before surgical intervention took place.

Post-Transplant Cholesterol and Triglyceride Behavior: Effects of Sex, Age of the Recipient, and Type of Donor.

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidemia represents a trigger for cardiovascular complications, being in minimized renal transplantation (RT) or most of the occasions associated as something secondary to immunosuppression. The objective is to determine the pattern of cholesterol and triglyceride behavior in the first 12 months of post-transplant evolution and its relationship with age, sex of the recipient, and type of renal donor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An observational, longitudinal study of RT carried out from 2013 to 2017 at the National Medical Center La Raza. In total, 328 records of patients with RT were analyzed. Cholesterol and triglyceride levels were studied over 12 months after renal transplantation; the association with sex, age of the renal recipient, and type of donor (live or deceased) was determined. Measures of central tendency and dispersion were made; the difference of means was established with a χ2 or Student t test. For risk, a bivariate analysis was performed with a significant value of P < .05. SPSS version 25 (IBM, Armonk, NY, United States) was used. RESULTS: The mean pretransplant cholesterol was within normal values (176.32, standard deviation [SD] 40.15 mg/dL), but triglycerides were not (158.36, SD 36.60 mg/dL). The pattern in both cases increased the values the first month after transplant to reach similar pretransplant levels in month 12. Cholesterol showed differences for month 12 in the group over 50 years (P = .022); like triglycerides in the 9th and 12th months (P = .026 and .003, respectively), values were higher in those over 50 years. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The pattern of cholesterol and triglyceride behavior is similar, even without understanding the reasons for the immediate post-transplant increase in month 1. There is no influence on the sex of the renal recipient nor on the type of donor. Only the age in recipients older than 50 years has a ratio of higher triglyceride values in months 9 and 12 and in cholesterol in the 12 months post-transplant.

Factors That Influence the Attitude of the Population to Be a Donor in Mexico.

BACKGROUND: Transplantation depends on a donation from a living or deceased donor, with the latter ideally involving a multiorgan transplant. The objective of this study was to determine the factors that influence the attitudes of the population in Mexico toward being a donor. METHODS: We conducted an observational, cross-sectional study with a survey on the attitudes toward donation in the population of Mexico. The survey had 33 items on it regarding sociodemographic aspects and people's positions on the issues of organ and tissue donation. We used central tendency and dispersion averages and calculated the difference between groups using chi squares or the Student t test. We also used the statistical program SPSS version 25. RESULTS: The perception of respondents regarding organ and tissue donation (with 1064 people or 65.1% in favor) points to a lack of knowledge in Mexico. People do not talk about organ donation with their relatives and especially do not discuss their wishes in case of death (only 660 people indicated they had or 40.4%). There is a better attitude toward donation among younger respondents, women, single people, health personnel, people with higher incomes, Catholics, and those who do not have a hospitalized family member. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to provide more information about organ donation to people in Mexico. The opinion toward donation is generally favorable; however, there are multiple factors that influence opinions. Family members of patients in intensive care are the least willing to donate themselves or donate a relative's organs.