The Ministry of Health invites patients after organ transplants to contact the transplant centre doctor for COVID-19 disease. They should do so even if the disease is easier to process. Treatment of immunosuppression should be considered in infected patients following organ transplants. This should not be forgotten by the treating physician for home treatment and hospitalization of such patients. This may be of key importance for treatment.
Pandemia also affects patients after organ transplants. With increasing morbidity, infected unsymptomed patients or patients with mild symptoms in home treatment have recently been waiting for a telephone consultation with a transplant specialist. Chief expert of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic for organ transplants Zuzana Žilinská invites patients and treating doctors not to hesitate to consult. The challenge is to improve the awareness of both patients and doctors of the need to consult the treatment of immunosuppressive medicinal products as soon as possible in patients with organ transplants SARS-Cov-2 positive, including non-symptomed and patients with COVID-19 disease, as well as a mild form. Zuzana Žilinská warns. As added by the immediate adjustment of immunosuppressive therapy, the patient may be of key importance for the development of COVID-19 disease as well as prognosis.
In 2019 259 organ transplants were performed in Slovakia. Of these, 197 were kidney transplants, 41 were liver and 21 patients had heart transplants. The transplantation programme is implemented in five specialised workplaces. One donor can save up to seven lives by donating organs. Statistics for 2020 will be available in late January 2021.
Call for doctors and transplant patients
Doctor
- The patient's medical status after organ transplant, which is tested positive for SARS-Cov-2 or symptoms of COVID-19 (even mild) have occurred without delay, since early correction of immunosuppression and other specific treatment interventions consulted with the relevant transplant centre specialist may significantly affect the development of COVID-19 disease and the patient's prognosis.
- An immediate treatment of immunosuppression with the appropriate transplant specialist should be consulted in both home and hospital patients and should be undertaken within the first intervention steps.
Patients
- If you are tested positive for SARS-Cov-2 or have experienced symptoms of COVID-19 (even mild), consult the transplant centre immediately.
- Inform the treating doctor about your condition so that you can adjust immunosuppression immediately and suggest further action.
- Early treatment of immunosuppression and other specific treatment interventions consulted with the appropriate transplant centre specialist may significantly affect the development of COVID-19 disease and your prognosis.
The contact numbers for the respective transplant sites are provided in the medical reports from the transplant centres.