Publication:

Analysis of kidney transplants in brazil: a comparative study pre and post-COVID-19 pandemic

Background Kidney transplantation is essential for patients with advanced Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), a condition that affects 13% of the global population. Although Brazil stands out internationally, ranking fourth worldwide in kidney transplants, the COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges. The restructuring of the healthcare system and restrictions led to a reduction in transplants by up to 50% globally and 32% in Brazil, exacerbating disparities in access to the procedure.

Methods It is an ecological study based on data from the Brazilian Transplant Registry (RBT), which examined the evolution of kidney transplants in Brazil across the pre-pandemic (2018-2019), pandemic (2020-2022), and post-pandemic (2023) periods.

Results Between 2018 and 2023, a total of 33,224 kidney transplants were performed in Brazil, with a significant decline during the pandemic (-18.8% annual average) but a partial recovery in 2023 (18.2% of the total). The waiting list increased by 175.8%, with a 104.9% rise in the number of untreated patients. The productivity of medical teams dropped from 43 to 34 transplants per team during the pandemic, and deceased donors predominated (85.7%). Regionally, the Southeast accounted for the highest number of procedures, with São Paulo responsible for 32.6% of the transplants, highlighting inequalities in access to treatment.

Conclusions Finally, it is observed that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted kidney transplants in the country due to the reorganization of hospital care, with a gradual post-pandemic recovery, although still below pre-crisis levels.