The COVID-19 infection in liver transplant recipients: A Cohort Study

Abstract

The immunosuppressed state of liver transplant recipients makes them vulnerable to infections after surgery. These infections are directly correlated with the net state of immunosuppression. Higher levels of immunosuppression mean a higher risk of infection, with rates of infection typically highest in the early post-transplant period. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) vaccines have shown efficacy in generating specific immune responses. This study aims to describe the COVID-19 infection before and after vaccination in liver recipients. This was a cohort study including 77 liver transplant recipients with laboratory radiological confirmed COVID-19. COVID-19 infection was present before vaccination in 30 patients. The most frequent COVID-19 clinical presentations before vaccination were cough in 32 patients and myalgia in 21 patients; 27 cases had oxygen depletion and required supplemental oxygen. Of the 30 COVID-19 patients, 4 patients re-experienced the disease about three months after complete vaccination. 33 liver transplant patients had not experienced COVID-19 before vaccination, of which 32 patients received vaccination. In conclusion, liver transplant patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 are at greater risk of severe infection and death compared with immunocompetent individuals. Thus, COVID-19 vaccination for all liver recipients is of paramount importance.