COVID-19 and Sirolimus Treatment in a Kidney Transplant Recipient

Exp Clin Transplant. 2021 Sep;19(9):977-980. doi: 10.6002/ect.2021.0232.

Abstract

One year after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, the management of the disease in kidney transplant patients remains uncertain. The interruption of immunosuppressive therapy is frequently suggested in kidney transplant recipients with COVID-19; however, such an interruption potentially increases the risk of allograft rejection and hyperimmune response. We here report the successful treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia in a kidney transplant recipient who received a sirolimus-based regimen. The course of COVID-19 management was favorable for maintaining sirolimus treatment. Nevertheless, the patient showed signs of extreme overexposure to sirolimus because of drug interaction with antiviral treatment. This case illustrates the advantages and related adverse events of sirolimus-based immunosuppression in the management of COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • COVID-19 / therapy*
  • Drug Combinations
  • Humans
  • Kidney Transplantation*
  • Lopinavir / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Ritonavir / therapeutic use
  • Sirolimus / administration & dosage*
  • Transplant Recipients

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Drug Combinations
  • lopinavir-ritonavir drug combination
  • Lopinavir
  • Ritonavir
  • Sirolimus