key: cord-0816738-5bbqr5xp
authors: Pascale, Renato; Trapani, Filippo; Potena, Luciano; Martin‐Suarez, Sofia; Viale, Pierluigi; Giannella, Maddalena
title: Management of heart transplant candidates in the time of COVID‐19 pandemic: Looking for answers
date: 2020-06-12
journal: Am J Transplant
DOI: 10.1111/ajt.16091
sha: 9917558ea91438a8b6838f45a8cd03314cd73d0e
doc_id: 816738
cord_uid: 5bbqr5xp

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-associated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is dramatically challenging the healthcare system. In the absence of optimal testing and effective treatments, physicians are forced to make decisions relying on scarce or even controversial evidence. Setting of solid organ transplant (SOT) candidates and recipients offers clinical and organizational issues.

To the Editor:

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-associated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is dramatically challenging the healthcare system. In the absence of optimal testing and effective treatments, physicians are forced to make decisions relying on scarce or even controversial evidence. were performed. Serological tests were not available at that time.

Since clinical and laboratory findings remained unchanged, NPS were negative, and CT findings improved, the patient was re-activated in the waiting list and underwent HT few days later. Currently, the patient is on day +26 after HT in good clinical conditions, with no signs of lung infection and negative serology.

From this experience, we drew an algorithm for the potential management of HT candidates during COVID-19 outbreak (Figure 1 ).

Report of COVID-19 patients

Coronavirus disease 2019 and transplantation: a view from the inside

Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) in the immunocompromised transplant recipient: #Flatteningthecurve

Radiological findings from 81 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia in Wuhan, China: a descriptive study

Negative nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs do not rule out COVID-19

Antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 in patients with COVID-19

Characteristics and outcomes of recipients of heart transplant with coronavirus disease