Pediatric transplantation in Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic: Early impact on activity and healthcare

Daniele Doná, Juan Torres Canizales, Elisa Benetti, Mara Cananzi, Federica De Corti, Elisabetta Calore, Loreto Hierro, Esther Ramos Boluda, Marta Melgosa Hijosa, Luis Garcia Guereta, Antonio Pérez Martínez, Maribel Barrios, Patricia Costa Reis, Ana Teixeira, Maria Francelina Lopes, Piotr Kaliciński, Sophie Branchereau, Olivia Boyer, Dominque Debray, Marco SciveresLars Wennberg, Björn Fischler, Peter Barany, Alastair Baker, Ulrich Baumann, Nicolaus Schwerk, Emanuele Nicastro, Manila Candusso, Jacek Toporski, Etienne Sokal, Xavier Stephenne, Caroline Lindemans, Marius Miglinas, Jelena Rascon, Paloma Jara

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The current pandemic SARS-CoV-2 has required an unusual allocation of resources that can negatively impact chronically ill patients and high-complexity procedures. Across the European Reference Network on Pediatric Transplantation (ERN TransplantChild), we conducted a survey to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on pediatric transplant activity and healthcare practices in both solid organ transplantation (SOT) and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The replies of 30 professionals from 18 centers in Europe were collected. Twelve of 18 centers (67%) showed a reduction in their usual transplant activity. Additionally, outpatient visits have been modified and restricted to selected ones, and the use of telemedicine tools has increased. Additionally, a total of 14 COVID-19 pediatric transplanted patients were identified at the time of the survey, including eight transplant recipients and six candidates for transplantation. Only two moderate-severe cases were reported, both in HSCT setting. These survey results demonstrate the limitations in healthcare resources for pediatric transplantation patients during early stages of this pandemic. COVID-19 disease is a major worldwide challenge for the field of pediatric transplantation, where there will be a need for systematic data collection, encouraging regular discussions to address the long-term consequences for pediatric transplantation candidates, recipients, and their families.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere14063
JournalClinical Transplantation
Volume34
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020 Oct
Externally publishedYes

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Surgery
  • Pediatrics

Free keywords

  • adolescents
  • children
  • coronavirus disease 2019
  • COVID-19
  • hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
  • pediatric transplantation
  • post-transplant management
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • solid organ transplantation
  • young

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