scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load Assessment in Lung Transplantation

2021 ◽  
pp. S253-S258
Author(s):  
R NOVYSEDLAK ◽  
J VACHTENHEIM ◽  
I STRIZ ◽  
O VIKLICKY ◽  
R LISCHKE ◽  
...  

In the era of COVID-19 pandemic, organ transplantation programs were facing serious challenges. The lung transplantation donor pool was extremely limited and SARS-CoV-2 viral load assessment has become a crucial part of selecting an optimal organ donor. Since COVID-19 is a respiratory disease, the viral load is thought to be more important in lung transplantations as compared to other solid organ transplantations. We present two challenging cases of potential lung donors with a questionable COVID-19 status. Based on these cases, we suggest that the cycle threshold (Ct) value should always be requested from the laboratory and the decision whether to proceed with transplantation should be made upon complex evaluation of diverse criteria, including the nasopharyngeal swab and bronchoalveolar lavage PCR results, the Ct value, imaging findings and the medical history. However, as the presence of viral RNA does not ensure infectivity, it is still to be clarified which Ct values are associated with the viral viability. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA antibodies may support the diagnosis and moreover, novel methods, such as quantifying SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen in serum may provide important answers in organ transplantations and donor selections.

2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (12) ◽  
pp. 2909-2913 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza F. Saidi ◽  
James F. Markmann ◽  
Nicolas Jabbour ◽  
YouFu Li ◽  
Shimul A. Shah ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Hosein Taziki Balajelini ◽  
Abdolhalim Rajabi ◽  
Masoud Mohammadi ◽  
Alijan Tabarraei ◽  
Seyed Mohammad Hadi Razavi Nikoo ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Covid-19 has different clinical symptoms and severity. Predicting its progress and results is clinically important. Hence, in this study, we investigated the relationship between virus load and the outcomes in Golestan Province. Methodology: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of COVID-19 diagnosed with RT-PCR testing from May 2020 to December 2020. According to the severity of the disease, the study groups were divided into three groups: outpatient, inpatient, and inpatient with death. SARS-CoV-2 viral load was assessed using cycle threshold (Ct) values from a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay applied to nasopharyngeal swab samples. Demographic properties, Clinical characteristics, and CT values of the studied patients were compared. Data were analyzed using STATA Version 16.0 software.Results: Of 1318 included subjects, 599 were outpatient, and 719 were hospitalized. Of the hospitalized patients, 487 were recovered and 232 died. The mean age (year) of patients was 48.81±18.40 and 51.9% were female. There were significant differences between the age and the severity of the disease, the mean age of patients who died was higher than other patients (p<0.001). The mean CT value of all patients was 26.80±4.43, which was higher in outpatients than inpatients' cases (p <0.001). We did not find any significant differences for the Ct values between recovered and dead cases (p=0.66). CT value levels were not significantly different between age and sex groups. Conclusions: According to the results of the study, CT value can be used only as a factor to determine the severity of the disease at the time of admission, but the load of the virus is not a factor to predict the outcome.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. e0255981
Author(s):  
Said El Zein ◽  
Omar Chehab ◽  
Amjad Kanj ◽  
Sandy Akrawe ◽  
Samer Alkassis ◽  
...  

Background Hospitalization of patients infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have remained considerable worldwide. Patients often develop severe complications and have high mortality rates. The cycle threshold (Ct) value derived from nasopharyngeal swab samples using real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) may be a useful prognostic marker in hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, however, its role in predicting the course of the pandemic has not been evaluated thus far. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study which included all patients who had a nasopharyngeal sample positive for SARS-CoV-2 between April 4 –June 5, 2020. The Ct value was used to estimate the number of viral particles in a patient sample. The trend in initial viral load on admission on a population level was evaluated. Moreover, patient characteristics and outcomes stratified by viral load categories were compared and initial viral load was assessed as an independent predictor of intubation and in-hospital mortality. Results A total of 461 hospitalized patients met the inclusion criteria. This study consisted predominantly of acutely infected patients with a median of 4 days since symptom onset to PCR. As the severity of the pandemic eased, there was an increase in the percentage of samples in the low initial viral load category, coinciding with a decrease in deaths. Compared to an initial low viral load, a high initial viral load was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality (OR 5.5, CI 3.1–9.7, p < 0.001) and intubation (OR 1.82 CI 1.07–3.11, p = 0.03), while an initial intermediate viral load was associated with increased risk of inpatient mortality (OR 1.9, CI 1.14–3.21, p = 0.015) but not with increased risk for intubation. Conclusion The Ct value obtained from nasopharyngeal samples of hospitalized patients on admission may serve as a prognostic marker at an individual level and may help predict the course of the pandemic when evaluated at a population level.


Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1091
Author(s):  
Ali A. Rabaan ◽  
Raghavendra Tirupathi ◽  
Anupam A Sule ◽  
Jehad Aldali ◽  
Abbas Al Mutair ◽  
...  

Real-time RT-PCR is considered the gold standard confirmatory test for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, many scientists disagree, and it is essential to understand that several factors and variables can cause a false-negative test. In this context, cycle threshold (Ct) values are being utilized to diagnose or predict SARS-CoV-2 infection. This practice has a significant clinical utility as Ct values can be correlated with the viral load. In addition, Ct values have a strong correlation with multiple haematological and biochemical markers. However, it is essential to consider that Ct values might be affected by pre-analytic, analytic, and post-analytical variables such as collection technique, specimen type, sampling time, viral kinetics, transport and storage conditions, nucleic acid extraction, viral RNA load, primer designing, real-time PCR efficiency, and Ct value determination method. Therefore, understanding the interpretation of Ct values and other influential factors could play a crucial role in interpreting viral load and disease severity. In several clinical studies consisting of small or large sample sizes, several discrepancies exist regarding a significant positive correlation between the Ct value and disease severity in COVID-19. In this context, a revised review of the literature has been conducted to fill the knowledge gaps regarding the correlations between Ct values and severity/fatality rates of patients with COVID-19. Various databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched up to April 2021 by using keywords including “RT-PCR or viral load”, “SARS-CoV-2 and RT-PCR”, “Ct value and viral load”, “Ct value or COVID-19”. Research articles were extracted and selected independently by the authors and included in the present review based on their relevance to the study. The current narrative review explores the correlation of Ct values with mortality, disease progression, severity, and infectivity. We also discuss the factors that can affect these values, such as collection technique, type of swab, sampling method, etc.


Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 895
Author(s):  
Florence Carrouel ◽  
Martine Valette ◽  
Hervé Perrier ◽  
Maude Bouscambert-Duchamp ◽  
Claude Dussart ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to determine whether self-collected pure saliva (SCPS) is comparable to nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs in the quantitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR in asymptomatic, mild patients with confirmed COVID-19. Thirty-one patients aged from 18 to 85 years were included between 9 June and 11 December 2020. A SCPS sample and a NP sample were taken for each patient. Quantitative PCR was performed to detect SARS-CoV-2 viral load. Results of SCPS vs NP samples testing were compared. Statistical analyses were performed. Viral load was significantly correlated (r = 0.72). The concordance probability was estimated at 73.3%. In symptomatic adults, SCPS performance was similar to that of NP swabs (Percent Agreement = 74.1%; p = 0.11). Thus, the salivary test based on pure oral saliva samples easily obtained by noninvasive techniques has a fair agreement with the nasopharyngeal one in asymptomatic, mild patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19.


Author(s):  
Benjamin A. Abrams ◽  
Barbara Wilkey

The year 2020 was a monumental year in medicine, and this review focuses on selected articles for cardiothoracic anesthesiologists and perioperative physicians involved in the care of heart and lung transplant patients. In the field of lung transplantation, significant strides were made in our knowledge of risk stratification during the preoperative assessment of potential recipients, perioperative transfusion medicine, and the administration of coagulation factor concentrates. In addition, variations in perioperative management and outcomes between institutions were studied across an assortment of metrics regarding lung transplantation, including case volumes and anesthetic practices. Transitioning to topics in the field of heart transplantation, consideration was given to recipients with adult congenital heart disease, and separately, approaches to expanding the donor pool through donation after circulatory death. With regard to preoperative support, outcomes for the total artificial heart as well as the MitraClip as bridges to transplantation were published.


F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 1684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith C Meyer

Lung transplantation can improve quality of life and prolong survival for individuals with end-stage lung disease, and many advances in the realms of both basic science and clinical research aspects of lung transplantation have emerged over the past few decades. However, many challenges must yet be overcome to increase post-transplant survival. These include successfully bridging patients to transplant, expanding the lung donor pool, inducing tolerance, and preventing a myriad of post-transplant complications that include primary graft dysfunction, forms of cellular and antibody-mediated rejection, chronic lung allograft dysfunction, and infections. The goal of this manuscript is to review salient recent and evolving advances in the field of lung transplantation.


2004 ◽  
Vol 286 (6) ◽  
pp. L1129-L1139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tina L. Sumpter ◽  
David S. Wilkes

Lung transplantation is the only definitive treatment modality for many forms of end-stage lung disease. However, the lung is rejected more often than any other type of solid organ allograft due to chronic rejection known as bronchiolitis obliterans (BO). Indeed, BO is the primary reason why the 5- and 7-yr survival rates are worse for the lung than for any other transplanted organ. Alloimmunity to donor antigens is established as the primary mechanism that mediates rejection responses. However, newer immunosuppressive regimens designed to abrogate alloimmune activation have not improved survival. Therefore, these data suggest that other antigens, unrelated to donor transplantation antigens, are involved in rejection. Utilizing human and rodent studies of lung transplantation, our laboratory has documented that a native collagen, type V collagen [col(V)], is a target of the rejection response. Col(V) is highly conserved; therefore, these data indicate that transplant rejection involves both alloimmune and autoimmune responses. The role of col(V) in lung transplant rejection is described in this review article. In addition, the potential role of regulatory T cells that are crucial to modulating autoimmunity and alloimmunity is also discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahteme Bekele ◽  
Wubshet Jote ◽  
Tigist Workneh ◽  
Berhanu Worku

BACKGROUND: Worldwide, the supply of organs continues to be much less than the demand. Many studies identify poor knowledge and negative attitude about organ donation for this. The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge and attitude towards organ donation and associated factors among people who accompany patient during hospital visit at tertiary hospital in Ethiopia.METHODS: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 1st to May 31, 2019, at a tertiary hospital and the only transplant center in Ethiopia. The patient companions were interviewed with structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were presented and factors associated with good knowledge and favorable attitude were assessed using Binary logistic regression.RESULTS: A total of 414 patient companion participated in the study. The mean age of the respondents was 35+13years, and 252(60.9%) were males. Forty-four (10.6%) of the study participants had good knowledge about organ donation. Male gender was significantly associated with improved knowledge (AOR=2.127 95% CI: 1.036, 4.368). A favorable attitude towards donation was found in 219(52.9%) of the study participants. Participants who had completed secondary education were more likely to have unfavorable attitude towards organ donation (AOR=0.498, 95% CI: 0.290, 0.857).CONCLUSION: Knowledge about organ donation was found to be poor, and attitudes towards organ donation were found to be unfavorable among patient companions at a major medical center in Ethiopia. Strategies focused on education of the general public and broad dissemination of information on the benefits of organ donation will be critical for improving the organ donor pool.


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