TY - JOUR AU - Jittirat, Arksarapuk AU - Eguchi, Natsuki AU - Tanphaichitr, Natthavat AU - Tomas, Myreen AU - Gundelly, Praveen AU - Zhao, Kai AU - Herlitz, Leal AU - Chalicheemala, Yasolatha AU - Yerneni, Himabindu AU - Forbes, Rachel AU - Concepcion, Beatrice AU - Tantisattamo, Ekamol PY - 2022 DA - 2022/02/07 TI - Kidney Transplantation during the COVID-19 Pandemic: From Past through Present Time of Emerging Vaccine JO - OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine SP - 007 VL - 07 IS - 01 AB - The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted kidney transplantation worldwide. The rate of kidney transplantation decreased during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially living donor kidney transplantation. Kidney transplant recipients are at high risk of developing severe complications from COVID-19 due to underlying comorbidities and immunosuppressed status. Management of immunosuppression, including the induction therapy and maintenance immunosuppressive regimen, has been modified at many transplant centers during the pandemic. In severe acute respiratory virus syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infected kidney transplant recipients, the immunosuppression is usually reduced. The acute rejection treatment is usually individualized based on the risks and benefits. Several COVID-19 therapies have received emergency use authorization to prevent the progression of COVID-19 severity. Use of oral antiviral therapies is faced with challenges in terms of drug-drug interaction, drug efficacy, and lack of data in the transplant population. For COVID-19 prophylaxis in kidney transplant recipients, the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines is lower compared to the general population. Pre-exposure prophylaxis with a long-acting antibody combination may be an adjunct strategy for vaccination in kidney transplant recipients or those for whom COVID-19 vaccination is not contraindicated. Post-exposure prophylaxis remains to be studied. Further studies are necessary to establish standard guidelines of immunosuppressive management in kidney transplant recipients diagnosed with COVID-19 and to better understand the outcomes and adverse drug reactions of the therapeutic and prophylactic modalities including vaccination in this high-risk population. SN - 2573-4393 UR - https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.icm.2201007 DO - 10.21926/obm.icm.2201007 ID - Jittirat2022 ER -