Analysis of COVID-19 infection in hemodialysis and kidney transplant patients in a pandemic hospital

Abstract

Introduction: The mortality rate for any infection is often higher in patients with a kidney transplant (KT) and hemodialysis (HD), which may also be the case in novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Methodology: In this study, the demographic, clinic, laboratory, and radiologic signs of KT and HD patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection between 11th March 2020 and 11th March 2021 were evaluated prospectively. 

Results:In the present study, 72 HD (median age, 57.5 Q1-Q3:43-65; female: 36/50%) and 58 KT patients (median age, 44.5 Q1-Q3:28.75-55.25; female: 21/36.2%) with COVID-19 infection were enrolled. Fifteen patients with HD (20.8%) died. Age, diabetes mellitus (DM), abnormal hemoglobin levels, albumin, C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, D-dimer, and procalcitonin were significant in the univariate analysis of survival in patients with HD. However, only age was significant in the Cox-regression analysis [Hazard ratio (HR) (95% CI 1.070 (19.016-1.126)]. Nine (15.5%) KT patients died. The median time from symptoms onset to admission was three days (2-5). This rate was two (2-3) and five (4-5.75) days, respectively, for patients followed up in our center and the external centers (p < 0.001). Although age, DM, shortness of breath, bilateral involvement in CT images, abnormal levels of CRP, urea, leukocyte count, ferritin, and follow-ups of patients from the external center were significant in the univariate analysis of survival in patients with KT, no variables were significant in the cox-regression analysis.

Conclusions: Increased mortality is expected in both HD and KT patients. Early diagnosis of COVID-19 in those patients with COVID-19 infection can be life-saving.