COVID-19 in Liver Transplant Recipients: A Systematic Review
Liver transplant (LT) recipients are considered a vulnerable population amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, available data have been heterogeneous and scarce. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review identifying English-language articles published in PubMed between November 2019 and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/17/4015 |
| _version_ | 1797521146281721856 |
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| author | Chiara Becchetti Sarah Gabriela Gschwend Jean-François Dufour Vanessa Banz |
| author_facet | Chiara Becchetti Sarah Gabriela Gschwend Jean-François Dufour Vanessa Banz |
| author_sort | Chiara Becchetti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Liver transplant (LT) recipients are considered a vulnerable population amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, available data have been heterogeneous and scarce. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review identifying English-language articles published in PubMed between November 2019 and 30 May 2021. We aimed to explore three areas: (1) outcome and clinical course; (2) immunological response after COVID-19 in LT recipients; and (3) vaccination response. After systematic selection, 35, 4, and 5 articles, respectively, were considered suitable for each area of analysis. Despite the heterogeneity of the reports included in this study, we found that gastrointestinal symptoms were common in LT recipients. The outcome of the LT population was not per se worse compared to the general population, although careful management of immunosuppressive therapy is required. While a complete therapy discontinuation is not encouraged, caution needs to be taken with use of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), favoring tacrolimus (TAC) use. Although data conflicted about acquired immunity after SARS-CoV-2 infection, vaccine immunogenicity appeared to be low, suggesting that the level of surveillance should be kept high in this population. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:08:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0efaec7e66474f20b5a60a0f769d3bb9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0383 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:08:28Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-0efaec7e66474f20b5a60a0f769d3bb92023-11-22T10:50:48ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832021-09-011017401510.3390/jcm10174015COVID-19 in Liver Transplant Recipients: A Systematic ReviewChiara Becchetti0Sarah Gabriela Gschwend1Jean-François Dufour2Vanessa Banz3University Clinic for Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, SwitzerlandUniversity Clinic for Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, SwitzerlandUniversity Clinic for Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, SwitzerlandUniversity Clinic for Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, SwitzerlandLiver transplant (LT) recipients are considered a vulnerable population amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, available data have been heterogeneous and scarce. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review identifying English-language articles published in PubMed between November 2019 and 30 May 2021. We aimed to explore three areas: (1) outcome and clinical course; (2) immunological response after COVID-19 in LT recipients; and (3) vaccination response. After systematic selection, 35, 4, and 5 articles, respectively, were considered suitable for each area of analysis. Despite the heterogeneity of the reports included in this study, we found that gastrointestinal symptoms were common in LT recipients. The outcome of the LT population was not per se worse compared to the general population, although careful management of immunosuppressive therapy is required. While a complete therapy discontinuation is not encouraged, caution needs to be taken with use of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), favoring tacrolimus (TAC) use. Although data conflicted about acquired immunity after SARS-CoV-2 infection, vaccine immunogenicity appeared to be low, suggesting that the level of surveillance should be kept high in this population.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/17/4015solid organ transplantationliver injuryimmunosuppressantSARS-CoV-2humoral responsevaccination |
| spellingShingle | Chiara Becchetti Sarah Gabriela Gschwend Jean-François Dufour Vanessa Banz COVID-19 in Liver Transplant Recipients: A Systematic Review Journal of Clinical Medicine solid organ transplantation liver injury immunosuppressant SARS-CoV-2 humoral response vaccination |
| title | COVID-19 in Liver Transplant Recipients: A Systematic Review |
| title_full | COVID-19 in Liver Transplant Recipients: A Systematic Review |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19 in Liver Transplant Recipients: A Systematic Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19 in Liver Transplant Recipients: A Systematic Review |
| title_short | COVID-19 in Liver Transplant Recipients: A Systematic Review |
| title_sort | covid 19 in liver transplant recipients a systematic review |
| topic | solid organ transplantation liver injury immunosuppressant SARS-CoV-2 humoral response vaccination |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/17/4015 |
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