frequency of medication use among liver transplant candidates and recipients during the covid-19 pandemic

Introduction: the liver is recognized as a primary target in covid-19 due to its susceptibility to viral infection and its prominent role in the body’s immune and metabolic responses. the present study aims to investigate the frequency of supplement and medication use among liver transplant recipients and candidates during the covid-19 pandemic.methods: this cross-sectional study included demographic and clinical information from 170 liver transplant recipients and candidates who had sought care at the guilan transplant center in rasht, iran. the participants’ history of taking supplements, antibiotics, immunosuppressants, antiviral and gastrointestinal medications, and their covid-19 infection history were recorded. statistical analysis of the data was performed using spss software (version 22).results: of the total 170 individuals in the study, 84(49.4%) were candidates for liver transplants, while 86(51.6%) had already received liver transplants. among liver transplant candidates, 2(2.4%) were infected with covid-19, and one died; among the liver transplant recipients, 8(9.3%) patients had covid-19, and three died. among liver transplant recipients, the most frequently consumed supplements, immunosuppressive, antibiotics, antiviral, and gastrointestinal medications were vitamin d (77.9%), prednisolone (90.1%), cotrimoxazole (5.8%), tenofovir (16.8%), and pantoprazole (74.4%), respectively. among liver transplants, the candidates were folic acid (32.1%), prednisolone (20.2%), azithromycin (1.2%), tenofovir (5.9%), and pantoprazole (51.2%).conclusion: individuals who have received liver transplants and have a history of medication use are more susceptible to contracting covid-19. the findings underscored the vulnerability of transplant recipients, particularly those on long-term immunosuppressive therapy, to sars-cov-2 infection. the prevalence of underlying diseases in both groups further emphasized the need for heightened vigilance and tailored preventive measures.