COVID-19 more likely in haemodialysis patients

Patients requiring haemodialysis show higher infection rates of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as well as associated mortality rates, a new study has found.

The study included 75 COVID-19 patients (mean age 62.37 years, 40 women) who were diagnosed in a blood purification centre. Patients showed an incubation period of 3–12 days, with an average of 5.23 days. Common first symptoms detected included cough (n=32), fatigue (n=18), fever (n=13), and chest tightness and discomfort (n=12).

Sixty patients were successfully discharged from the hospital while 15 died, yielding a mortality rate of 20 percent.

Compared with other patients on dialysis, those who contracted COVID-19 and those who subsequently died from it showed no statistical differences in terms of age, sex, dialysis time, red blood cells, haemoglobin, total white blood cells, or neutrophil counts. In contrast, lymphocyte counts were significantly lower in these patients (p<0.05).

According to the researchers, patients requiring haemodialysis are a particularly vulnerable group of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the constant travel to and from blood purification centre puts them at greater risk of infection. They also tend to be more susceptible to infection, and are at greater risk of mortality, than healthy individuals.

“Therefore, it is particularly important to detect and isolate patients with COVID-19 in this group in the early stages of the disease. Moreover, wearing a mask during dialysis, avoiding eating as much as possible, and disinfecting the environment dialysis interphase are also the best protection for patients requiring haemodialysis,” the researchers said.