COVID-19 in liver transplant patients: Impact and considerations

World J Transplant. 2023 Jan 18;13(1):1-9. doi: 10.5500/wjt.v13.i1.1.

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has significantly impacted liver tran splantation worldwide, leading to major effects on the transplant process, including the pretransplant, perioperative, and post-transplant periods. It is believed that patients with chronic liver disease, especially those with cirrhosis, have a higher risk of complications from coronavirus disease 2019 infection compared to the general population. However, evaluation of coronavirus disease 2019 effects on liver transplant patients has not uniformly demonstrated worse outcomes. Nonetheless, the pandemic created significant challenges and restrictions on transplant policies and organ allocation.

Keywords: COVID-19; Immunosuppression; Liver transplantation; Living donor; Mortality.

Publication types

  • Review