1. Clinical course and challenging management of early COVID-19 infection after heart transplantation: case report of two patients
- Author
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Vincent Tchana-Sato, Arnaud Ancion, Julien Tridetti, Natzi Sakalihasan, Marie Pierre Hayette, Olivier Detry, Philippe Delvenne, Philippe Amabili, Marc Senard, Olivier Hougrand, Delphine Szecel, Jean-Paul Lavigne, Elie Minga Lowampa, Charlotte Ponte, Isabelle Maquoi, Philippe Morimont, Melissa Van Den Bulck, Marie Helene Delbouille, Jean Olivier Defraigne, and Patrizio Lancellotti
- Subjects
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2) ,Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ,Heart transplantation ,Asymptomatic carrier ,Case report ,Infectious and parasitic diseases ,RC109-216 - Abstract
Abstract Background There are limited data on Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in solid organ transplant patients, especially in heart transplant recipients, with only a few case reports and case series described so far. Heart transplant recipients may be at particular high risk due to their comorbidities and immunosuppressed state. Case presentation This report describes the clinical course and the challenging management of early COVID-19 infection in two heart transplant recipients who tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the perioperative period of the transplant procedure. The two patients developed a severe form of the disease and ultimately died despite the initiation of an antiviral monotherapy with hydroxychloroquine coupled with the interruption of mycophenolate mofetil. Conclusions These two cases illustrate the severity and poor prognosis of COVID-19 in the perioperative period of a heart transplant. Thorough screening of donors and recipients is mandatory, and the issue of asymptomatic carriers needs to be addressed.
- Published
- 2021
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