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We investigated the prevalence and clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in recipients of kidney transplants in the Bronx, New York, one of the epicenters of the pandemic. Between March 16 and June 2, 2020, 132 kidney transplant recipients tested positive by SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR. From May 3 to July 29, 2020, 912 kidney transplant recipients were screened for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies during routine clinic visits, of which 16.6% tested positive. Fifty-five of the 152 patients had previously tested positive by RT-PCR, while the remaining 97 did not have significant symptoms and had not been previously tested by RT-PCR. The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was 23.4% in the 975 patients tested by either RT-PCR or SARS-CoV-2 IgG. Older patients and patients with higher serum creatinine levels were more likely diagnosed by RT-PCR compared to SARS-CoV-2 IgG. Sixty-nine RT-PCR positive patients were screened for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies at a median of 44 days post-diagnosis (Inter Quartile Range 31-58) and 80% were positive. Overall mortality was 20.5% but significantly higher (37.8% ) in the patients who required hospitalization. Twenty-three percent of the hospitalized patients required kidney replacement therapy and 6.3% lost their allografts. In multivariable analysis, older age, receipt of deceased-donor transplantation, lack of influenza vaccination in the previous year and higher serum interleukine-6 levels were associated with mortality. Thus, 42% of patients with a kidney transplant and with COVID-19 were diagnosed on antibody testing without significant clinical symptoms, 80% of patients with positive RT-PCR developed SARS-CoV-2 IgG and mortality was high among patients requiring hospitalization., Graphical abstract

Kidney-Transplant Recipients with Covid-19 A cohort of 36 consecutive kidney-transplant recipients had less fever, lower CD3, CD4, and CD8 cell counts, more rapid clinical deterioration, and a high...

Background In February 2019, the American Society of Transplantation (AST) published guidelines on the management of asymptomatic bacteriuria (AB) and urinary tract infections (UTIs) in kidney transplant (KT) recipients. These recommendations include avoiding treatment of AB > 2 months post-transplant and outline the duration of treatment (DT) for uncomplicated and complicated UTIs. We reviewed management of these syndromes and guideline concordance at our institution. Methods We conducted a single-center, retrospective cohort study of KT recipients age > 18 years who underwent transplantation between June 2016 - June 2020. Patients were obtained through query of our electronic medical record for documented UTI syndromes and included if a diagnosis was confirmed between March 2019 - December 2020 upon chart review. Definitions of AB, complicated UTI, and uncomplicated UTI were based on AST definitions. Patients with AB < 2 months post-transplant were excluded. Outcomes included treatment of AB, DT, 30-day hospital admission and re-admission, and 30-day mortality. Bivariate analysis was conducted using chi square and t test. Results Seventy-four patients (mean age 55.4 years, 62.0% female) were included. Twenty-one patients had AB, 90% of whom received antibiotics. Distribution of diagnoses and median DT among those treated with antibiotics is outlined in Table 1. Overall DT was similar in patients whose care included infectious disease (ID) input and those who did not (10.0 vs. 10.0 days, p=0.12), although ID involvement was more common in complicated UTIs. There was no difference in 30-day admission rates for those receiving < 7 days vs. > 7 days of antibiotics (p=0.53) (Table 2) including those with complicated UTIs (5/15 in < 7 days (33%) vs. 4/18 in > 7 days (22%) p=0.49). There were no deaths within 30 days of diagnoses. Conclusion Despite guidelines, treatment of AB is common and uncomplicated UTIs often receive prolonged courses of antibiotics. There was no increased risk of admission or mortality with shorter DT, though these results should be interpreted cautiously given the small sample size. Greater stewardship efforts are needed in this high-risk population. Disclosures Kelsie Cowman, MPH, Merck (Research Grant or Support)

Background Kidney allocation system allows blood type B candidates accept kidneys from A2/A2B donors. There is no mandate by UNOS on which the anti-A2 level is acceptable. We aimed to investigate the safety of kidney transplant in blood group B patients with anti-A2 titers ≤16. Methods We performed 41 A2-incompatible kidney transplants in blood group B recipients between May 2015 and September 2019. Clinical outcomes were compared with a control group of 75 blood group B recipients who received blood group compatible kidney transplantation at the same period. Results Of the 41 recipients, 85% were male, 48% African American, with a median age of 53 (20-73) y. Thirty-eight (93%) were deceased-donor and 3 (7%) were living-donor kidney transplant recipients. Pretransplant anti-A2 IgG titers were 2 in 16, 4 in 9, 8 in 6, and 16 in 5 and too weak to titer in 5 recipients. Eight patients had pretransplant donor-specific antibodies. During a median follow-up of 32.6 mo (6-57.3) patient and graft survival were 100% and 92% in the A2-incompatible kidney transplant group, and 91% and 92% in the blood group compatible group, respectively. Twelve A2-incompatible recipients underwent a 21 clinically indicated kidney biopsies at a median 28 d (6-390) after transplantation. None of the patients developed acute antibody-mediated rejection and 2 patients (5%) had acute T-cell-mediated rejection. Interestingly, peritubular capillary C4d positivity was seen in 7 biopsies which did not have any findings of acute rejection or microvascular inflammation but not in any of the rejection-free biopsies in the control group. C4d positivity was persistent in 5 of those patients who had follow-up biopsies. Conclusions A2-incompatible transplantation is safe in patients with anti-A2 titers ≤16 with excellent short-term kidney allograft outcomes. C4d positivity is frequent in allograft biopsies without acute rejection.