Reduction in the number of kidney transplants in a university hospital in Minas Gerais as an impact of COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: Solid organ transplantation, including kidney transplantation, was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting potential donors, candidates and recipients. This was reflected in the increase in morbidity and mortality of patients who were waiting for him. Objective: To comparatively evaluate the number of kidney transplants performed from 2018 to 2022 in a university hospital, analyzing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in this scenario. Method: A cross-sectional epidemiological survey was conducted using data from the electronic medical records of patients undergoing kidney transplantation at a university hospital in Minas Gerais, between January 2018 and June 2022. Results: In 2018, 50 transplants were performed. Of these, 26 in the first semester and 24 in the second. In 2019, 63 transplants were registered, 28 in the first semester and 35 in the second. In 2020, when the pandemic began, there were a total of 22 transplants, a reduction of 65.1% compared to 2019, 18 of which until March 2020 and only 4 after this date. In 2021, the number of transplants continued to fall, with 26 being performed, and in 2022, until the first semester, 24 transplants were performed, a figure similar to the years that preceded the pandemic. Analyzing the clinical and epidemiological profile, the proportion of deceased donor transplants increased and male recipients maintained the predominance in transplants performed during the pandemic. Conclusion: The number of kidney transplants performed showed significant decline in the years 2020 and 2021, milestones of the pandemic, with the beginning of the resumption in 2022.