Real-world experience with available, outpatient COVID-19 therapies in solid organ transplant recipients during the omicron surge

Am J Transplant. 2022 Oct;22(10):2458-2463. doi: 10.1111/ajt.17098. Epub 2022 May 30.

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues to place a substantial burden on healthcare systems. Outpatient therapies for mild-to-moderate disease have reduced hospitalizations and deaths in clinical trials, but the real-world effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies and oral antiviral agents in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTR) with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is largely uncharacterized. We conducted a single-center, retrospective review of 122 SOTR diagnosed with COVID-19 in the outpatient setting during the Omicron surge to address this knowledge gap. The mean age was 54 years, 57% were males, and 67% were kidney transplant recipients. The mean time from transplant to COVID-19 diagnosis was 75 months. Forty-nine (40%) received molnupiravir, 24 (20%) received sotrovimab, and 1 (0.8%) received nirmatrelvir/ritonavir. No outpatient therapy was administered in 48 (39%). All 122 SOTR had >30 days follow-up. Rates of hospitalization within 30 days of initiating therapy for molnupiravir, nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, and sotrovimab were 16% (8/49), 0% (0/1), and 8% (2/24), respectively, compared to 27% (13/48) in patients without outpatient therapy. There were no deaths in those who received any therapy versus 3 (6%) deaths in patients without outpatient therapy (p = .002). Overall, our experience suggests a role for monoclonal antibodies and oral antiviral agents in reducing COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality in SOTR.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; molnupiravir; nirmatrelvir; solid organ transplant; sotrovimab.

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / therapeutic use
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Cytidine / analogs & derivatives
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydroxylamines
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Organ Transplantation* / adverse effects
  • Ritonavir
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Transplant Recipients

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Hydroxylamines
  • sotrovimab
  • Cytidine
  • Ritonavir
  • molnupiravir