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Abstract: TH-PO944

Treatment With Monoclonal Antibodies Is Safe and Effective for Kidney Transplant Recipients With COVID-19

Session Information

Category: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

  • 000 Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Authors

  • Al Azzi, Yorg, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, United States
  • Pynadath, Cindy T., Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, United States
  • Ajaimy, Maria, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, United States
  • Liriano-Ward, Luz E., Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, United States
  • Kapoor, Sanjana, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, United States
  • Akalin, Enver, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, United States
Background

Monoclonal antibodies have been the mainstay of treatment of COVID-19 in patients at high-risk of mortality from COVID-19. We aimed to study our experience with monoclonal antibodies (mAb) in kidney transplant recipients with COVID-19 at our center.

Methods

We reviewed 93 of our kidney transplant recipients who were infected with COVID-19 and received mAb treatment. The mAb infusion received was the one active against the variant that was circulating during that period (39 received either bamlanivimab or casirivimab/imdevimab, 41 received sotrovimab and 13 received bebtelovimab). All patients were on standard immunosuppression with tacrolimus and prednisone, and 88% were on mycophenolate prior to COVID-19 diagnosis, which was subsequently reduced or held for at least 2 weeks.

Results

Of the 93 patients, median age was 54 (IQR 44-64), 44% were male, 42% were Hispanic, 36% were African American. 76% have received deceased donor kidney transplant, 94% had history of hypertension, 47% diabetes mellitus, 18% coronary artery disease. All the patients had mild symptoms without initial hypoxia requiring supplemental O2 and only 5 patients (5.4%) were admitted to the hospital. While 33 patients (35%) were unvaccinated at the time of COVID-19 diagnosis, 60 patients (65%) have received at least 2 doses of COVID vaccination at time of diagnosis and of those 27 patients (29%) have received a third dose. There was only one death (1%) in a patient that was re-hospitalized with severe COVID-19. There was no allograft loss. The rate of re-infection after mAb treatment was 6.5%. There was no serious adverse event related to the mAb infusion.

Conclusion

Our experience suggests that monoclonal antibodies are a safe therapeutic to reduce the need for COVID-19 related hospitalization in this high-risk kidney transplant population, while one third of those were unvaccinated at the time of COVID-19 diagnosis.