Does Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 Levels Determine the Prognosis of Covid-19 Disease in Kidney Transplant Recipients?

BACKGROUND: In the normal population, a high monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP-1) level is an important biomarker for the progression of COVID-19. This study investigated whether MCP-1 level can determine the disease prognosis in kidney transplant (KT) patients with COVID-19. METHODS: A total of 89 patients, including 49 KT patients (group 1) diagnosed with COVID-19 who required hospitalization, and 40 KT patients who did not have COVID-19 disease (group 2), were included. Demographic characteristics and laboratory results of the patients were recorded. The serum reserved for MCP-1 was stored at –80°C and studied blindly by a single microbiologist at the end of the study. RESULTS: While the mean age of the patients was 51.0 years (40.0-59.50) in group 1, it was 48.0 years (40.75-54.75) in group 2 (P > .05). In terms of the female sex, it was 36 (73.5%) and 27 (67.5%) in group 1 and group 2, respectively (P > .05). Similarly, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups regarding primary disease and basal graft function (P > .05). There was a statistically significant difference in inflammation indicators in group 1 compared with group 2 (P < .05). A correlation was found between inflammation indicators and COVID-19 (P < .05). However, no significant correlation was detected between COVID-19 disease and MCP-1 levels in both groups (P > .05). Also, according to basal MCP-1 levels, we did not find a significant difference between survival and nonsurvival patients (164.0 pg/mL [146.0-202.0] vs 156.0 pg/mL [143.0-173.0], respectively (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Monocyte chemoattractant protein, an indicator of inflammation, was not found to predict the prognosis of COVID-19 disease in kidney recipients.