Mortality and associated risk factors of COVID-19 infection in dialysis patients in Qatar: A nationwide cohort study

The humoral immune response to the BNT 162B2 vaccine in pediatrics on renal replacement therapy

INTRODUCTION

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, data published on the immunogenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 BNT 162B2 vaccine in pediatric patients receiving renal replacement therapy are scant. Our primary objective is to study this population's humoral immune response to the COVID-19 vaccine.

METHODS

Pediatric kidney transplant recipients (PKTRs) and hemodialysis recipients (HR) at our center who received two doses of the SARS-CoV-2 BNT 162B2 vaccine were included. Transplant and HR who had PCR-positive COVID-19 infections during the study, regardless of their vaccine status, were also included. SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike protein (S1/S2) IgG was measured after the second dose of the vaccine and after any PCR-positive COVID-19 infection as routine clinical practice. Data on demographics, induction, maintenance immunosuppressants, type of transplant, and posttransplant or dialysis duration were included.

RESULTS

Of the 61 patients included, 19 were dialysis recipients who received two doses of vaccine without subsequent infection (HV), and 42 were kidney transplant recipients. All dialysis patients and 33 (78.6%) transplant recipients received two doses of the SARS-CoV-2 BNT 162b2 vaccine. A total of 33.3% (11/33) of the transplant recipients who received vaccination developed COVID-19 infection (KTH) at a median time of 13 days after the second dose of vaccine. Nine transplant patients had pure COVID-19 infection without vaccination (KTI). The seroconversion rate in the HV group was 94.7% (18/19) compared to 50% (11/22) in the kidney transplant vaccine recipients who did not develop subsequent COVID-19 infection (KTV) (p < .001). The median S1/S2 IgG titers for the HV group were 400 AU/mL versus 15 AU/mL in the KTV group (p < .0001). There was no significant difference in the duration of the test from the second dose of the vaccine between HV and KTV (55 vs. 33.5 days, p = .095). The KTH had higher titers than KTV group (370 vs. 15 p < .0001). The median duration of the test after vaccination in the vaccine group and those with hybrid immunity was similar (35 vs. 33.5 days, p = .2).There were no clear predictors for seroconversion in the PKTRs. Natural infection alone was as good as the vaccine in eliciting humoral immune response.

CONCLUSION

The humoral immune response to two doses of the SARS-CoV-2 BNT 162B2 vaccine in PKTRs without subsequent COVID-19 infection is suboptimal compared to that in hemodialysis recipients and in PKTRs with hybrid immunity from both infection and vaccination.

The Effects of Distance, Time, and Nonspatial Factors on Hemodialysis Access in Qatar

Background A long distance and time spent traveling to a hemodialysis (HD) center and other factors, such as comorbidities, can significantly impact HD patient compliance, satisfaction, and cost. Uncertainty about HD-dependent patients' geographical location may lead to inappropriate distribution of HD centers. The present study investigates travel time, distance, and nonspatial factors affecting HD center accessibility within a 30-km radius in the State of Qatar. Materials and methods The study included all HD-dependent patients residing in Qatar between March 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021. There were 921 patients dialyzed in six HD centers across Qatar. Our methodology incorporated descriptive and analytical cross-sectional designs to accurately identify the shortest routes and quickest travel times. We used two applications (Maptive {Vancouver, WA: BatchGeo LLC} and Google Maps {Mountain View, CA: Google LLC}) and marked a driving distance of 30 km as the main assessment scale and measurement standard, allowing optimum spatial accessibility determination. Results On average, patients traveled approximately 19±4.2 km, requiring almost 17.6±3.4 minutes to reach the assigned HD center three times per week. Based on geographic-spatial accessibility analysis, patients living in Umm Salal drove 31.4±3.5 km in 32.4±4.7 minutes, Al Daayen patients drove 30.2 km in 25.3 minutes, and others even drove more than 70 km to access HD sessions. Approximately 37.8% of Qatar's municipalities had no HD centers within their boundaries, but nearly 47% of HD-dependent patients lived in those municipalities. Additionally, some municipalities had HD centers; however, their general population density was less than 100 inhabitants/km2, and they had relatively few patients requiring regular HD. We noted a statistically significant correlation between the patients' residences and the locations of HD centers, whether they were located within or outside municipalities. Also, nonspatial factors may have affected the likelihood of reaching a hemodialysis center within a 30-km distance, including two or more comorbid conditions, having HD for at least five years, living in a municipality with more than 1,000 inhabitants/km2, being female, and attending dialysis centers that are more than 30 km away. Conclusion Although the available HD centers were sufficient for the present number of patients requiring HD, HD center locations did not match the patients' distribution, leading to difficulties for some patients. Understanding the impact of this geographic mismatch, population density, and other spatial factors helps significantly improve patient care and satisfaction at minimal cost. Furthermore, considering all these factors is crucial when planning new centers to achieve higher satisfaction and compliance as well as better health care.

Machine learning algorithms for the prediction of adverse prognosis in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis

BACKGROUND

An appropriate prediction model for adverse prognosis before peritoneal dialysis (PD) is lacking. Thus, we retrospectively analysed patients who underwent PD to construct a predictive model for adverse prognoses using machine learning (ML).

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 873 patients who underwent PD from August 2007 to December 2020. A total of 824 patients who met the inclusion criteria were included in the analysis. Five commonly used ML algorithms were used for the initial model training. By using the area under the curve (AUC) and accuracy (ACC), we ranked the indicators with the highest impact and displayed them using the values of Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) version 0.41.0. The top 20 indicators were selected to build a compact model that is conducive to clinical application. All model-building steps were implemented in Python 3.8.3.

RESULTS

At the end of follow-up, 353 patients withdrew from PD (converted to haemodialysis or died), and 471 patients continued receiving PD. In the complete model, the categorical boosting classifier (CatBoost) model exhibited the strongest performance (AUC = 0.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.76-0.83; ACC: 0.78, 95% CI = 0.72-0.83) and was selected for subsequent analysis. We reconstructed a compression model by extracting 20 key features ranked by the SHAP values, and the CatBoost model still showed the strongest performance (AUC = 0.79, ACC = 0.74).

CONCLUSIONS

The CatBoost model, which was built using the intelligent analysis technology of ML, demonstrated the best predictive performance. Therefore, our developed prediction model has potential value in patient screening before PD and hierarchical management after PD.

Antibody Response to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Patients with End-Stage Kidney Disease on Hemodialysis

Patients with end-stage kidney disease on hemodialysis (ESKD-HD) have a high risk of contracting severe COVID-19. Vaccination can help reduce disease severity, but the immune dysregulation observed in these patients may result in an inadequate antibody response. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the immune response postvaccination in ESKD-HD patients. This prospective cohort study was conducted in two hemodialysis centers in Indonesia. We enrolled ESKD-HD patients (n = 143) pre- and postvaccination and compared them to healthy subjects (n = 67). SARS-CoV-2 antibody response was assessed using anti-S-RBD antibodies and SVNT % inhibition tests. We performed bivariate and multivariate analysis to determine factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels. Seropositive conversion was observed in 97% ESKD-HD subjects postvaccination. Compared with healthy subjects, ESKD-HD patients showed a comparable anti-S-RBD antibody titer postvaccination. mRNA vaccines remained a significant factor for the high immune response, while hypoalbuminemia correlated with lower immune response. In conclusion, ESKD-HD patients showed a robust immune response postvaccination. mRNA vaccines induced a stronger antibody response than other vaccines. Lower levels of serum albumin correlate with lower immune responses in ESKD-HD patients after vaccination.

Characteristics and Prognostic Factors of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant Infection in Hemodialysis Patients: A Single-Center Study in China

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics and prognostic factors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD).

METHODS

All admitted HD patients who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 from December 1, 2022, to January 31, 2023, were included. Patients with pneumonia were further classified into the mild, moderate, severe, and critical illness. Clinical symptoms, laboratory results, radiologic findings, treatment, and clinical outcomes were collected. Independent risk factors for progression to critical disease and in-hospital mortality were determined by the multivariate regression analysis. The receiver operating characteristic analysis with the area under the curve was used to evaluate the predictive performance of developing critical status and in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 182 COVID-19 patients with HD were included, with an average age of the 61.55 years. Out of the total, 84 (46.1%) patients did not have pneumonia and 98 (53.8%) patients had pneumonia. Among patients with pneumonia, 48 (49.0%) had moderate illness, 26 (26.5%) severe illness, and 24 (24.5%) critical illness, respectively. Elder age [HR (95% CI): 1.07 (1.01-1.13), p <0.01], increased levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) [1.01 (1.003-1.01), p <0.01], and C-reactive protein (CRP) [1.01 (1.00-1.01), p = 0.04] were risk factors for developing critical illness. Elder age [1.11 (1.03-1.19), p = 0.01], increased procalcitonin (PCT) [1.07 (1.02-1.12), p = 0.01], and LDH level [1.004 (1-1.01), p = 0.03] were factors associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSION

Age, CRP, PCT, and LDH can be used to predict negative clinical outcomes for HD patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

Nationwide in-hospital mortality and morbidity analysis of COVID-19 in advanced chronic kidney disease, dialysis and kidney transplant recipients

Background

Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), and kidney transplants (KT) are at an elevated risk for COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality. A comprehensive comparison of morbidity and mortality between these populations with kidney disease and individuals without any kidney disease is lacking.

Methods

We analysed the 2020 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database for non-elective adult COVID-19 hospitalizations, categorizing patients into advanced CKD, ESKD, KT, and kidney disease-free cohorts. Our analysis included a description of the distribution of comorbidities across the entire spectrum of CKD, ESKD, and KT. Additionally, we investigated in-hospital mortality, morbidity, and resource utilization, adjusting for potential confounders through multivariable regression models.

Results

The study included 1,018,915 adults hospitalized for COVID-19 in 2020. The incidence of advanced CKD, ESKD, and KT in this cohort was 5.8%, 3.8%, and 0.4%, respectively. Patients with advanced CKD, ESKD, and KT exhibited higher multimorbidity burdens, with 90.3%, 91.0%, and 75.2% of patients in each group having a Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) equal to or greater than 3. The all-cause in-hospital mortality ranged from 9.3% in kidney disease-free patients to 20.6% in advanced CKD, 19.4% in ESKD, and 12.4% in KT patients. After adjusting for potential confounders at both the patient and hospital levels, CKD stages 3-5; ESKD; and KT were found to be associated with increased odds of mortality, with adjusted odds ratios (aOR) of 1.34, 1.80, 2.66, 1.97, and 1.69, respectively.

Conclusion

Patients hospitalized for COVID-19 with advanced CKD, ESKD, or KT demonstrated a higher burden of comorbidities and increased mortality rates compared to those without kidney disease. After adjusting for confounders, CKD stages 3-5; ESKD; and KT were identified as independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality, illustrating a dose-response relationship between the odds of mortality and adverse outcomes as CKD progressed from stages 3 to 5. Our study highlights the necessity for enhanced management of comorbidities, targeted interventions, and vigorous vaccination efforts to mitigate the risk of adverse outcomes in the vulnerable populations of patients with CKD, ESKD, and KT.

Risk Factors and Drug Efficacy for Severe Illness in Hemodialysis Patients Infected with the Omicron Variant of COVID-19

INTRODUCTION

The Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has been spreading more rapidly and is more infectious, posing a higher risk of death and treatment difficulty for patients undergoing hemodialysis. This study aims to explore the severity rate and risk factors for hemodialysis patients infected with the Omicron variant and to conduct a preliminary analysis of the clinical efficacy of drugs.

METHODS

Clinical and biochemical indicators of 219 hemodialysis patients infected with the Omicron variant were statistically analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups based on whether they were severely ill or not, and multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine the risk factors for severe illness. The severely ill patients were then grouped based on discharge or death, and the treatment drugs were included as influencing factors for multiple regression analysis to determine the risk factors and protective factors for death of severely ill patients, and drug efficacy analysis was conducted.

RESULTS

Analysis showed that diabetes, low oxygen saturation, and high C-reactive protein (CRP) were independent risk factors for severe illness in hemodialysis patients infected with the Omicron variant. A history of diabetes and high C-reactive significantly increased the risk of severe illness in patients (aOR: 1.450; aOR: 1.011), while a high oxygen saturation level can reduce this risk (aOR: 0.871). In addition, respiratory distress was an independent risk factor for death in severely patients, significantly reducing the probability of discharge for patients (aOR: 0.152). The drugs thymalfasin and Tanreqing significantly increased the probability of discharge for patients (aOR: 1.472; aOR: 3.104), with the latter having a higher correlation, but with a relatively longer effective course.

CONCLUSION

Hemodialysis patients infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 should pay special attention to their history of diabetes, CRP, and oxygen saturation levels, as well as respiratory distress symptoms, to reduce the risk of severe illness and death. In addition, thymalfasin and Tanreqing may be considered in treatment.

COVID-19 incidence and outcomes among patients with kidney replacement therapy

BACKGROUND

We aimed to investigate the incidence, fatality, and associated factors in patients with hemodialysis (HD), peritoneal dialysis (PD), and kidney transplantation (KT) hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and reimbursed from the National Health Security Office (NHSO).

METHODS

The retrospective cohort analysis was conducted from an electronic-claimed database, and COVID-19 vaccination status was evaluated in patients with HD, PD, and KT from January 2020 to December 2021. There were 85,305 patients reimbursed for HD, PD, and KT by the NHSO. The rates of COVID-19 infection, COVID-19 vaccination, comorbidities, fatalities, and the cost of treatment were evaluated.

RESULTS

COVID-19 infection was observed in 1,799 of 36,982 HD cases (4.9%), 1,531 of 45,453 PD cases (3.4%), and 95 of 2,870 KT cases (3.3%). Patients receiving COVID-19 vaccinations were most common in the KT group, followed by those with HD and PD (76.93% vs. 70.65% vs. 51.34%, respectively). KT patients had a lower fatality rate compared to those with PD and HD (8.42% vs. 18.41% vs. 21.40%, respectively). Advanced age, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and COVID-19 vaccination status were associated with fatality. The adjusted odds ratios of fatality after receiving one or two doses of vaccines were 0.7 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.6-0.9) and 0.3 (95% CI, 0.2-0.4), respectively. The cost of treatment was highest in patients with HD, followed by PD and KT.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of COVID-19 infection was higher in patients with HD than in those with PD or KT. COVID-19 vaccination following the national health policy should be encouraged for these patients to prevent fatality.

The Comorbidities, Radiographic Findings, Age, and Lymphopenia (CORAL) Tool: A Diagnostic Ally for Emergency Physicians Created for the COVID-19 Crisis and Beyond

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to develop a novel clinical approach to predict intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients in the emergency department (ED).

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted including adults ≥ 18 years diagnosed with COVID-19 in the emergency department and admitted to the ICU between March and July 2020 in an academic hospital. The outcome variables were mortality and ICU admission. Additional variables that were collected included sex, age, comorbidities, symptom phenotype, and laboratory (lymphopenia) and imaging findings. A logistic regression model was used to construct and validate the risk models.

RESULTS

A total of 808 patients were included in the study; 61.9% were men. The mean age was 57.8 ± 15.9 years, and high blood pressure (HBP) was the most prevalent comorbidity (31.8%). Seventy-six (9.4%) patients were admitted to the ICU. Age ≥ 60 years, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lymphopenia, and imaging findings correlated with mortality. Age ≥ 60 years, lymphopenia (<1,000 cells per microliter), and hypothyroidism correlated with ICU admission. These variables were incorporated into a scoring system (Comorbidities, Radiographic findings, Age, and Lymphopenia (CORAL) tool) to predict mortality and ICU admission.

CONCLUSIONS

Our Comorbidities, Radiographic findings, Age, and Lymphopenia (CORAL) tool is a practical tool for different clinical settings independent of access to advanced medical resources or technologies. CORAL is suitable for emergency physicians in low- and middle-income countries.

Gastrointestinal manifestations of long-term effects after COVID-19 infection in patients with dialysis or kidney transplantation: An observational cohort study

BACKGROUND

Prolonged symptoms after corona virus disease 2019 (Long-COVID) in dialysis-dependent patients and kidney transplant (KT) recipients are important as a possible risk factor for organ dysfunctions, especially gastrointestinal (GI) problems, during immunosuppressive therapy.

AIM

To identify the characteristics of GI manifestations of Long-COVID in patients with dialysis-dependent or KT status.

METHODS

This observational, prospective study included patients with COVID-19 infection, confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, with the onset of symptoms between 1 January 2022 and 31 July 2022 which was explored at 3 mo after the onset, either through the out-patient follow-up or by telephone interviews.

RESULTS

The 645 eligible participants consisted of 588 cases with hemodialysis (HD), 38 patients with peritoneal dialysis (PD), and 19 KT recipients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 infection during the observation. Of these, 577 (89.5%) cases agreed to the interviews, while 64 (10.9%) patients with HD and 4 (10.5%) cases of PD were excluded. The mean age was 52 ± 11 years with 52% women. The median dialysis duration was 7 ± 3 and 5 ± 1 years for HD and PD groups, respectively, and the median time post-transplantation was 6 ± 2 years. Long-COVID was identified in 293/524 (56%) and 21/34 (62%) in HD and PD, respectively, and 7/19 (37%) KT recipients. Fatigue was the most prevalent (96%) of the non-GI tract symptoms, whereas anorexia (90.9%), loss of taste (64.4%), and abdominal pain (62.5%) were the first three common GI manifestations of Long-COVID. Notably, there were 6 cases of mesenteric panniculitis from 19 patients with GI symptoms in the KT group.

CONCLUSION

Different from patients with non-chronic kidney disease, there was a high prevalence of GI manifestations of Long-COVID in dialysis-dependent patients and KT recipients. An appropriate long-term follow-up in these vulnerable populations after COVID-19 infection is possibly necessary.

Predictors for Unsuccessful Reductions in Hemodialysis Frequency during the Pandemic

Background and Objectives: Patients receiving in-center hemodialysis are at a high risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. A reduction in hemodialysis frequency is one of the proposed measures for preventing COVID-19 infection. However, the predictors for determining an unsuccessful reduction in hemodialysis frequency are still lacking. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study enrolled patients who were receiving long-term thrice-weekly hemodialysis at the Thammasat University Hospital in 2021 and who decreased their dialysis frequency to twice weekly during the COVID-19 outbreak. The outcomes were to determine the predictors and a prediction model of unsuccessful reduction in dialysis frequency at 4 weeks. Bootstrapping was performed for the purposes of internal validation. Results: Of the 161 patients, 83 patients achieved a dialysis frequency reduction. Further, 33% and 82% of the patients failed to reduce their dialysis frequency at 4 and 8 weeks, respectively. The predictors for unsuccessful reduction were diabetes, congestive heart failure (CHF), pre-dialysis overhydration, set dry weight (DW), DW from bioelectrical impedance analysis, and the mean pre- and post-dialysis body weight. The final model including these predictors demonstrated an AUROC of 0.763 (95% CI 0.654–0.866) for the prediction of an unsuccessful reduction. Conclusions: The prediction score involving diabetes, CHF, pre-dialysis overhydration, DW difference, and net ultrafiltration demonstrated a good performance in predicting an unsuccessful reduction in hemodialysis frequency at 4 weeks.

Time-Series Forecasting of Hemodialysis Population in the State of Qatar by 2030

BACKGROUND

There are few statistics on dialysis-dependent individuals with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in Qatar. Having access to this information can aid in better understanding the dialysis development model, aiding higher-level services in future planning. In order to give data for creating preventive efforts, we thus propose a time-series with a definitive endogenous model to predict ESKD patients requiring dialysis.

METHODS

In this study, we used four mathematical equations linear, exponential, logarithmic decimal, and polynomial regression, to make predictions using historical data from 2012 to 2021. These equations were evaluated based on time-series analysis, and their prediction performance was assessed using the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), coefficient of determination (R²), and mean absolute deviation (MAD). Because it remained largely steady for the population at risk of ESKD in this investigation, we did not consider the population growth factor to be changeable. (FIFA World Cup 2022 preparation workforce associated growth was in healthy and young workers that did not influence ESKD prevalence).

RESULT

The polynomial has a high R² of 0.99 and is consequently the best match for the prevalence dialysis data, according to numerical findings. Thus, the MAPE is 2.28, and the MAD is 9.87%, revealing a small prediction error with good accuracy and variability. The polynomial algorithm is the simplest and best-calculated projection model, according to these results. The number of dialysis patients in Qatar is anticipated to increase to 1037 (95% CI, 974-1126) in 2022, 1245 (95% CI, 911-1518) in 2025, and 1611 (95% CI, 1378-1954) in 2030, with a 5.67% average yearly percentage change between 2022 and 2030.

CONCLUSION

Our research offers straightforward and precise mathematical models for predicting the number of patients in Qatar who will require dialysis in the future. We discovered that the polynomial technique outperformed other methods. Future planning for the need for dialysis services can benefit from this forecasting.

Outcomes of COVID-19 in peritoneal dialysis patients: A report by the European Renal Association COVID-19 Database

BACKGROUND

The clinical course of COVID-19 in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients has so far only been analysed in relatively small, often single-centre case series. Therefore, we studied patient- and disease-related characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 in a larger European cohort of PD patients.

METHODS

We used data from the European Renal Association COVID-19 Database (ERACODA) on PD and haemodialysis (HD) patients with COVID-19 (presentation between February 2020 and April 2021). Hazard ratios (HR) for mortality at 3 months were calculated using Cox proportional-hazards regression. In addition, we examined functional and mental health status among survivors at this time point as determined by their treating physician.

RESULTS

Of 216 PD patients with COVID-19, 80 (37%) were not hospitalised and 136 (63%) were hospitalised, of whom 19 (8.8%) were admitted to an intensive care unit. Mortality at 3 months for these subgroups was 18%, 40%, and 37%, respectively (p = 0.0031). Compared with HD patients, PD patients had higher mortality (crude HR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.33-1.66), even when adjusted for patient characteristics and disease severity (adjusted HR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.39-1.75). Follow-up data on 67 of 146 patients who survived COVID-19 showed functional recovery to pre-COVID-19 levels in 52 (78%) and mental recovery in 58 patients (87%) at 3 months after the COVID-19 diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

The mortality rate in the first 3 months after presentation with COVID-19 is high, especially among PD patients who were hospitalised. PD patients with COVID-19 had a higher mortality risk than HD patients. The majority of surviving patients recovered both functionally and mentally from COVID-19 within 3 months.

Effectiveness of Messenger RNA Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Hemodialysis Patients: A Case-Control Study

Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) are at increased risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection and its complications compared with the general population. Several studies evaluated the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in the dialysis population but showed mixed results. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines against confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in hemodialysis (HD) patients in the State of Qatar. We included all adult ESKD patients on chronic HD who had at least one SARS-CoV-2 PCR test done after the introduction of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines on 24 December 2020. Vaccinated patients who were only tested before receiving any dose of their COVID-19 vaccine or within 14 days after receiving the first vaccine dose were excluded from the study. We used a test-negative case−control design to determine the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccination. Sixty-eight patients had positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests (cases), while 714 patients had negative tests (controls). Ninety-one percent of patients received the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. Compared with the controls, the cases were more likely to be older (62 ± 14 vs. 57 ± 15, p = 0.02), on dialysis for more than one year (84% vs. 72%, p = 0.03), unvaccinated (46% vs. 5%, p < 0.0001), and symptomatic (54% vs. 21%, p < 0.0001). The effectiveness of receiving two doses of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines against confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection was 94.7% (95% CI: 89.9−97.2) in our HD population. The findings of this study support the importance of using the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in chronic HD patients to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection in such a high-risk population.

The vulnerability of maintenance dialysis patients with COVID-19: mortality and risk factors from a developing country

Patients on maintenance dialysis therapy are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 and its complications. This study aimed to assess the incidence, epidemiological characteristics, and mortality rate of COVID-19 among maintenance dialysis patients. This retrospective observational chart review study included 548 patients from all dialysis units in the West Bank of Palestine who acquired COVID-19 between 5 March 2020, and 11 August 2021. We collected data on patients' demographics, clinical features, and outcomes. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to assess independent risk factors for COVID-19-related mortality. The incidence of COVID-19 among maintenance dialysis patients was 35.3%, as 548 out of 1554 patients have tested positive during the study period. Patients on haemodialysis were three times riskier to get infected than those on peritoneal dialysis (37% vs 11.3%). Half (50.2%) of infected patients required hospitalisation, and 24.5% were admitted to an intensive care unit, while the mortality rate stood at 26.8%. Old age, male sex, central venous catheter use, comorbid diabetes, smoking, and having an RH negative blood group type were determined to be significantly associated with increased risk of mortality. In conclusion, the incidence of COVID-19 among Palestinian maintenance dialysis patients was notably high, especially among haemodialysis patients. High rates of hospitalisation, ICU admission, intubation and death were observed, and predictive factors for COVID-19-related mortality were identified. Therefore, the implementation of strict infection control measures and promotion of home dialysis are warranted to reduce the infection rate.KEY MESSAGESThe incidence of COVID-19 among Palestinian maintenance dialysis patients was notably high; more than one-third of the total dialysis population acquired COVID-19, with haemodialysis patients being three times more likely to get infected compared to their peritoneal dialysis counterparts.The mortality rate among maintenance dialysis patients was 26.8%, more than 25 times higher than that of the general population. The risk of mortality was significantly increased with age, male sex, smoking, diabetes, and having central venous catheter as vascular access for haemodialysis.Strict infection control measures, as well as the promotion of home dialysis, are necessary to reduce the risk of infection.

Risk of COVID-19 and Cost Burden in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients and Policy Implications for Managing Nephrology Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of COVID-19 in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, the cost burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on the management of ESRD and the cost of catheter infections. In this multicentre, retrospective study, data were obtained from the records of four dialysis centres providing care for ESRD patients in Northern Cyprus. Of the 358 ESRD patients that were receiving haemodialysis (HD) 13 were diagnosed with COVID-19. The average cost of HD treatment per patient was $4822.65 in 2019 and $3759.45 in 2020 (p ≤ 0.001). The average control cost of HD treatment per patient was $618.80 in 2019 and $474.03 in 2020 (p ≤ 0.001). The outpatient treatment costs of catheter infections were not significantly different in 2019 (before) compared to 2020 (after) the pandemic ($54.61 in 2019 compared to $54.74 in 2020, p = 0.793). However, the inpatient treatment costs were significantly greater before the pandemic compared to after the pandemic ($315.33 in 2019 compared to $121.03 in 2020, p = 0.015). The costs for monitoring COVID-19 transmission in patients having ESRD management were significantly higher in HD compared to in peritoneal dialysis (PD) and transplants. Since there is a high risk of transmission of infections in the hospital environment during a pandemic, it is important to implement alternative ESRD management methods, such as enhancing transplants in populations, switching to PD, and implementing home dialysis programmes to reduce the risk of infection and associated complications, as well as the health costs associated with infection monitoring.

Sepsis Management in Southeast Asia: A Review and Clinical Experience

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that causes a global health burden associated with high mortality and morbidity. Often life-threatening, sepsis can be caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi. Sepsis management primarily focuses on source control and early broad-spectrum antibiotics, plus organ function support. Comprehensive changes in the way we manage sepsis patients include early identification, infective focus identification and immediate treatment with antimicrobial therapy, appropriate supportive care and hemodynamic optimization. Despite all efforts of clinical and experimental research over thirty years, the capacity to positively influence the outcome of the disease remains limited. This can be due to limited studies available on sepsis in developing countries, especially in Southeast Asia. This review summarizes the progress made in the diagnosis and time associated with sepsis, colistin resistance and chloramphenicol boon, antibiotic abuse, resource constraints and association of sepsis with COVID-19 in Southeast Asia. A personalized approach and innovative therapeutic alternatives such as CytoSorb® are highlighted as potential options for the treatment of patients with sepsis in Southeast Asia.

The Associations of Suspected COVID-19 Symptoms with Anxiety and Depression as Modified by Hemodialysis Dietary Knowledge: A Multi-Dialysis Center Study

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential to evaluate hemodialysis patients’ dietary knowledge, especially among those with COVID-19 related symptoms, in order to identify appropriate strategies in managing their mental health. The study’s purposes were to test the psychometric properties of the hemodialysis dietary knowledge (HDK) scale, and to investigate the modifying impact of HDK on the associations of suspected COVID-19 symptoms (S-COVID-19-S) with anxiety and depression among hemodialysis patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2020 to March 2021 at eight hospitals across Vietnam. Data of 875 hemodialysis patients were analyzed, including socio-demographic, anxiety (the generalized anxiety disorder scale, GAD-7), depression (the patient health questionnaire, PHQ-9), S-COVID-19-S, HDK, health literacy, and digital healthy diet literacy. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and logistic regression models were used to analyze the data. The HDK scale demonstrates the satisfactory construct validity with good model fit (Goodness of Fit Index, GFI = 0.96; Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index, AGFI = 0.90; Standardized Root Mean Square Residual, SRMR = 0.05; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation, RMSEA = 0.09; Normed Fit Index, NFI = 0.96; Comparative Fit Index, CFI = 0.96, and Parsimony goodness of Fit Index, PGFI = 0.43), criterion validity (as correlated with HL (r = 0.22, p < 0.01) and DDL (r = 0.19, p < 0.01), and reliability (Cronbach alpha = 0.70)). In the multivariate analysis, S-COVID-19-S was associated with a higher likelihood of anxiety (odds ratio, OR, 20.76; 95% confidence interval, 95%CI, 8.85, 48.70; p < 0.001) and depression (OR, 12.95; 95%CI, 6.67, 25.14, p < 0.001). A higher HDK score was associated with a lower likelihood of anxiety (OR, 0.70; 95%CI, 0.64, 0.77; p < 0.001) and depression (OR, 0.72; 95%CI, 0.66, 0.79; p < 0.001). In the interaction analysis, the negative impacts of S-COVID-19-S on anxiety and depression were mitigated by higher HDK scores (p < 0.001). In conclusion, HDK is a valid and reliable tool to measure dietary knowledge in hemodialysis patients. Higher HDK scores potentially protect patients with S-COVID-19-S from anxiety and depression during the pandemic.

Safety and long-term improvement of mesenchymal stromal cell infusion in critically COVID-19 patients: a randomized clinical trial

Background

COVID-19 is a multisystem disease that presents acute and persistent symptoms, the postacute sequelae (PASC). Long-term symptoms may be due to consequences from organ or tissue injury caused by SARS-CoV-2, associated clotting or inflammatory processes during acute COVID-19. Various strategies are being chosen by clinicians to prevent severe cases of COVID-19; however, a single treatment would not be efficient in treating such a complex disease. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are known for their immunomodulatory properties and regeneration ability; therefore, they are a promising tool for treating disorders involving immune dysregulation and extensive tissue damage, as is the case with COVID-19. This study aimed to assess the safety and explore the long-term efficacy of three intravenous doses of UC-MSCs (umbilical cord MSCs) as an adjunctive therapy in the recovery and postacute sequelae reduction caused by COVID-19. To our knowledge, this is one of the few reports that presents the longest follow-up after MSC treatment in COVID-19 patients.

Methods

This was a phase I/II, prospective, single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Seventeen patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who require intensive care surveillance and invasive mechanical ventilation—critically ill patients—were included. The patient infusion was three doses of 5 × 10⁵ cells/kg UC-MSCs, with a dosing interval of 48 h (n = 11) or placebo (n = 6). The evaluations consisted of a clinical assessment, viral load, laboratory testing, including blood count, serologic, biochemical, cell subpopulation, cytokines and CT scan.

Results

The results revealed that in the UC-MSC group, there was a reduction in the levels of ferritin, IL-6 and MCP1-CCL2 on the fourteen day. In the second month, a decrease in the levels of reactive C-protein, D-dimer and neutrophils and an increase in the numbers of TCD3, TCD4 and NK lymphocytes were observed. A decrease in extension of lung damage was observed at the fourth month. The improvement in all these parameters was maintained until the end of patient follow-up.

Conclusions

UC-MSCs infusion is safe and can play an important role as an adjunctive therapy, both in the early stages, preventing severe complications and in the chronic phase with postacute sequelae reduction in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Trial registration Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC), UTN code-U1111-1254-9819. Registered 31 October 2020—Retrospectively registered, https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-3fz9yr

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13287-022-02796-1.

The case for Increased Peritoneal Dialysis Utilization in Low- and Lower-Middle-Income Countries

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) has several advantages compared to hemodialysis (HD), but there is evidence showing underutilization globally, especially in low-income and lower-middle-income countries (LLMICs) where kidney replacement therapies (KRT) are often unavailable, inaccessible, and unaffordable. Only 11% of all dialysis patients worldwide use PD, more than 50% of whom live in China, the United States of America, Mexico, or Thailand. Various barriers to increased PD utilization have been reported worldwide including patient preference, low levels of education, and lower provider reimbursement. However, unique but surmountable barriers are applicable to LLMICs including the excessively high cost of providing PD (related to PD fluids in particular), excessive cost of treatment borne by patients (relative to HD), lack of adequate PD training opportunities for doctors and nurses, low workforce availability for kidney care, and challenges related to some PD outcomes (catheter-related infections, hospitalizations, mortality, etc.). This review discusses some known barriers to PD use in LLMICs and leverages data that show a global trend in reducing rates of PD-related infections, reducing rates of modality switches from HD, and improving patient survival in PD to discuss how PD use can be increased in LLMICs. We therefore, challenge the idea that low PD use in LLMICs is unavoidable due to these barriers and instead present opportunities to improve PD utilization in LLMICs.

Can systemic immune inflammation index at admission predict in-hospital mortality in chronic kidney disease patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection?

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and more prone to develop severe disease. It is important to know predictors of poor outcomes to optimize the strategies of care.

METHODS

93 patients with CKD and 93 age-sex matched patients without CKD were included in the study. Data on demographic, clinical features, hematological indices and outcomes were noted and compared between the groups. Neutrophile to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune inflammation index (SII) (platelet counts×neutrophil counts/lymphocyte counts) and lymphocyte-to-CRP ratio (LCR) were calculated on admission and the association of these markers with disease mortality in CKD patients was identified.

RESULTS

CKD patients had higher risk of severe disease, and mortality compared to non-CKD patients (72% vs 50.5%, p=0.003, 36.6% vs 10.8%, p<0.001, respectively) and were more likely to have higher values of immuno-inflammatory indices (leukocyte count, neutrophil, NLR, SII and C-reactive protein, etc.) and lower level of lymphocyte and LCR. Also, higher levels of NLR, SII, PLR and lower level of LCR were seen in CKD patients who died compared to those recovered. In a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, NLR, SII, PLR and LCR area under the curve for in-hospital mortality of CKD patients were 0.830, 0.811, 0.664 and 0.712, respectively. Among all parameters, NLR and SII gave us the best ability to distinguish patients with higher risk of death. Based on the cut-off value of 1180.5, the sensitivity and specificity of the SII for predicting in-hospital mortality were found to be 67.5% and 79.6%, respectively. The corresponding sensitivity and specificity of the NLR were 85.2% and 66.1%, respectively, at the cut-off value of 5.1. Forward stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that NLR (≥5.1), SII (≥1180.5) and LCR (≤9) were predictors for in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSION

We report for the first time that SII is able to distinguish COVID-19 infected CKD patients of worse survival and it is as powerful as NLR in this regard. As SII is easily quantified from blood sample data, it may assist for early identification and timely management of CKD patients with worse survival.

Long-term effect of COVID-19 infection on hemodialysis patients: Should we follow hemodialysis patients more closely?

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, hemodialysis patients constitute one of the most vulnerable patient populations as they have more significant comorbidities and need to visit healthcare settings frequently even under pandemic conditions. It was also largely demonstrated that hemodialysis patients have high mortality rates with severe to fatal disease due to COVID-19 during their initial hospitalization. Even though the functional decline and fatigue after severe infections are not a novel entity, some long-term effects of COVID-19 have drawn attention with their prolonged effects even after discharge. A recent prospective, observational study by Carriazo et al. provided the first evidence to compare long-term mortality rates of hemodialysis patients with and without COVID-19. Carriazo et al. stated a hazard ratio of 3.00 for the mortality rates of hemodialysis patients over a 1-year follow-up period after their COVID-19 diagnosis. They emphasized that the high mortality rates of hemodialysis patients with COVID-19 are not limited to the initial hospitalization period but also continue after discharge, especially in the first 3 months. In light of this study, it can be recommended that hemodialysis patients with COVID-19 should be monitored closely and continuously, and hemodialysis patients should be prioritized for vaccination against COVID-19 with close follow-up for their antibody levels.

[Can systemic immune inflammation index at admission predict in-hospital mortality in chronic kidney disease patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection]

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and more prone to develop severe disease. It is important to know predictors of poor outcomes to optimize the strategies of care.

METHODS

93 patients with CKD and 93 age-sex matched patients without CKD were included in the study. Data on demographic, clinical features, hematological indices and outcomes were noted and compared between the groups. Neutrophile to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune inflammation index (SII) (platelet counts × neutrophil counts / lymphocyte counts) and lymphocyte-to-CRP ratio (LCR) were calculated on admission and the association of these markers with disease mortality in CKD patients was identified.

RESULTS

CKD patients had higher risk of severe disease, and mortality compared to non-CKD patients (72% vs 50.5%, p=0.003, 36,6% vs 10.8%, p<0.001, respectively) and were more likely to have higher values of immuno-inflammatory indices (leucocyte count, neutrophil, NLR, SII and C-reactive protein etc.) and lower level of lymphocyte and LCR. Also, higher levels of NLR, SII, PLR and lower level of LCR were seen in CKD patients who died compared to those recovered. In a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, NLR, SII, PLR and LCR area under the curve for in-hospital mortality of CKD patients were 0.830, 0.811, 0.664 and 0.712, respectively. Among all parameters, NLR and SII gave us the best ability to distinguish patients with higher risk of death. Based on the cut-off value of 1180.5, the sensitivity and specificity of the SII for predicting in-hospital mortality were found to be 67.5% and 79.6%, respectively. The corresponding sensitivity and specificity of the NLR were 85.2% and 66.1%, respectively, at the cut-off value of 5.1. Forward stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that NLR (≥5.1), SII (≥1180.5) and LCR (≤9) were predictors for in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSION

We report for the first time that SII is able to distinguish COVID-19 infected CKD patients of worse survival and it is as powerful as NLR in this regard. As SII is easily quantified from blood sample data, it may assist for early identification and timely management of CKD patients with worse survival.