Effect of COVID-19 Infection among Hemodialysis Patients in Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Introduction: There is a paucity of studies focused on the effect of COVID-19 infection on patients on hemodialysis (HD). This study is aimed to assess HD as a risk for acquiring the SARS-COV-2 virus. Besides, is to examine the clinical presentation of HD patients who developed COVID-19, mortality rate, and the prognostic factors among HD patients in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This is a case-control study carried out at 2 HD centers in Taif and Makkah, Saudi Arabia during the period from June 2020 to February 2021. All HD patients of both genders and any age confirmed with COVID-19 infection were included. Negative COVID-19 cases in HD patients were excluded. Results: A total of 352 patients were admitted to HD centers. Hypertension was the most causative reason for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Out of them, only 11.6% of patients had confirmed positive COVID-19. Of the, 90% were symptomatic. The most common feature was fever (82.9%), then headache and myalgia (65.9%). Only 9 (22%) patients acquired COVID-19 from the hospital, and all of them are alive (p=206). 5 patients (12%) died, four died because of acute respiratory distress syndrome (p=0.0001). Factors associated with increase mortality rate were, having chronic lung disease (CLD) (p=0.048), coronary artery disease CAD (p=0.015), other causes of ESRD (0.05), difficulty in breathing at disease diagnosis (p=0.007) as well as getting late medical care (p=0.0001). Having hypertension as an etiology of ESRD was more associated with increased survival compared with other etiologies (0.043). Conclusion: Patients on maintenance HD are at an increased risk of getting the COVID-19 virus. Clinical presentations were mostly mild and moderate. Direct COVID-19 complication (ARDS) was the most common reason for death. More attention should be paid to HD patients with CLD, CAD, difficulty in breathing, late hospital admission, cause of ESRD as they were associated with increased death rate.
