Early use of tocilizumab in respiratory failure associated with acute COVID -19 pneumonia in recipients with solid organ transplantation
Suresh J. Antony, Joya Singh, Mikhail de Jesus, Jessalyn Lance
Abstract
As of May 14, 2020, the World Health Organization has reported approximately 4.3 million cases of the novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) with approximately 294,046 deaths worldwide [1]. Solid organ transplant recipients who are on chronic immunosuppressants fall within a special population of COVID-19 patients since they are more susceptible to complications secondary to COVID-19. Currently, we do not have data on treating COVID-19 patients with solid organ transplants with tocilizumab, an interleukin-6 (IL-6) inhibitor. We report a case of COVID-19 in a patient with a kidney and liver transplant and discuss the early use of tocilizumab to prevent the cytokine storm and attempt to reduce the likelihood of progression to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). In addition, we present other COVID-19 related transplant cases reported in the literature outlining the presenting clinical signs and outcomes.