Can Fetuin-A Deficiency Predict the Severity of COVID-19 Disease in Kidney Transplant Recipients?

• Published in: Transplantation proceedings Vol. 55; no. 5; pp. 1156 - 1159
• Main Authors: Pinar, Musa, Dheir, Hamad, Tocoglu, Aysel, Toptan, Hande, Demirci, Taner, Yaylaci, Selcuk, Cakar, Gozde Cakirsoy, Firat, Necattin, Akin, Emrah, İslam, Mahmud, Karabay, Oguz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.06.2023
• ISSN: 0041-1345; 1873-2623
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2023.01.040

This study aims to investigate whether fetuin A deficiency predicts the prognosis of COVID-19 disease in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). The study was conducted on 35 hospitalized KTRs with COVID-19 pneumonia between November 2020 and June 2021. Serums were collected for fetuin-A measurement at admission and after six months of follow-up. The demographic and laboratory data of the patients were recorded and analyzed with the appropriate statistical method. A total of 35 KTRs, 23 of which (65.7%) were men, were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 51.6 ± 14.0 years. Seventeen (48.6%) patients had severe disease criteria and required intensive care (ICU) support. Biopsy-proven acute rejection developed in 6 (17.1%) patients in the follow-up. At admission, the median fetuin-A value was 173.5 mcg/mL (143.5-199.25) in the moderate disease group and 126.0 mcg/mL (89.4-165.5) in the severe patient group (p = 0.005). While the Median fetuin-A value at the time of diagnosis was 173.5 mcg/mL (143.5-199.25), and in the 6th month was 208 mcg/mL [184-229] (p<0.001). By ROC analysis, the effect of serum fetuin-A level in predicting the severity of COVID-19 disease was significant (AUC: 0.771, p = 0.006, 95% CI: 0.615-0.927). When serum fetuin-A cut-off value was taken as 138 mcg/mL to determine disease severity, it was shown to have 83.3% sensitivity and 64.7% specificity. Serum fetuin-A level can predict disease severity in kidney transplant recipients in the presence of active COVID-19 disease.