EVALUATION OF OUTCOMES OF PERITONEAL DIALYSIS PATIENTS IN THE POST-COVID-19 PERIOD: A NATIONAL MULTICENTER CASE-CONTROL STUDY FROM TURKEY

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There is not enough data on the post-COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) period for peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients affected from COVID-19. We aimed to compare the clinical and laboratory data retrospectively obtained in the follow-up of PD patients after COVID-19 with a control PD group. METHOD: This study, supported by the Turkish Society of Nephrology, is a national multicenter retrospectively case-control study involving adult PD patients with confirmed COVID-19, using data collected from 21 April 2021 to 11 June 2021. A control PD group was also formed from each PD unit, from patients with similar characteristics but who did not have COVID-19. Patients in the active period of COVID-19 were not included. Data at the end of the first month and within the first 90 days, as well as other outcomes, including mortality, were investigated. RESULTS: A total of 223 patients (COVID-19 group: 113, control group: 110) from 28 centers were included. The duration of PD in both groups was similar [median (IQR):3.0 (1.88-6.0) years and 3.0 (2.0-5.6)], but the patient age of the COVID-19 group was lower than the control group [50 (IQR:40-57) years and 56 (IQR:46-64) years, P < 0.001]. PD characteristics and baseline laboratory data were similar in both groups, except serum albumin and hemoglobin levels on Day 28, which were significantly lower in the COVID-19 group. In the COVID-19 group, respiratory symptoms, rehospitalization, lower respiratory tract infection, change in PD modality, UF failure and hypervolemia were significantly higher on the 28th day. There was no significant difference in laboratory parameters at Day 90. Only one (0.9%) patient in the COVID-19 group died within 90 days. There was no death in the control group. Respiratory symptoms, malnutrition and hypervolemia were significantly higher at Day 90 in the COVID-19 group. CONCLUSION: Mortality in the first 90 days after COVID-19 in PD patients with COVID-19 is not different from the control PD group. However, some of these patients continue to experience significant problems, especially respiratory system symptoms, malnutrition, and hypervolemia.

CHARACTERISTICS AND SURVIVAL RESULTS OF PERITONEAL DIALYSIS PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM COVID-19 IN TURKEY: A MULTICENTER NATIONAL STUDY

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Although existing data suggest an increased mortality rate, data about the course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, its short-and long-term effects on the patient and technique survival are limited. Moreover, specific factors associated with increased risk of death have not been clearly defined yet. Therefore, we aimed to study the characteristics of PD patients with COVID-19, determine the short-term mortality and other medical complications, and delineate the factors associated with COVID-19 outcome. METHOD: This national multicenter study included all PD patients who had confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection based on positive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction testing of a nasopharyngeal swab recorded in this database from the attending 27 PD centers. The demographic data, comorbidities, medications used, PD-related data were recorded as well as clinical, laboratory and radiological findings of COVID-19 and outcomes at the end of the first month were recorded. RESULTS: We enrolled 142 COVID-19 patients (median age: 52 years). A total of 58.2% of patients had mild disease at diagnosis, lung involvement was detected in 60.8% of patients. A total of 83 (58.4%) patients were hospitalized, 31 (21.8%) patients were admitted to intensive care unit and 24 needed mechanical ventilation. A total of 15 (10.5%) patients were switched to hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration was performed for 4 (2.8%) patients. Persisting pulmonary symptoms (n = 27), lower respiratory system infection (n = 12), rehospitalization for any reason (n = 24), malnutrition (n = 6), hypervolemia (n = 13), peritonitis (n = 7), ultrafiltration failure (n = 7) and in PD modality change (n = 8) were reported in survivors. During the 1 month from the diagnosis of COVID-19, 26 patients (18.31%) died. The non-survivor group was older and comorbidities were more prevalent. Fever, dyspnea, cough, serious-vital disease at presentation, bilateral pulmonary involvement and pleural effusion were more frequent among non-survivors. Age (OR:1.102;95% CI: 1.032- 1.117;P:0.004), moderate-severe clinical disease at presentation (OR:26.825;95% CI: 4.578-157.172;P < 0.001) and CRP levels (OR:1.008;95% CI;1.000-1.016;P:0.040) were associated with increased first-month mortality in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Early mortality rate and medical complications are quite high in PD patients with COVID-19. Age, clinical severity of COVID-19 and baseline CRP level are the independent parameters associated with mortality.

COVID-19 IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which started in China in December 2019 and spread all over the world, is more progressive in patients who are elderly and with chronic diseases. Especially, kidney involvement affects the survival of patients. In this study, we analysed COVID-19 patients who developed acute kidney injury treated in our unit, retrospectively. METHOD: The clinical and laboratory data of 610 patients who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 pandemic between 1 June 2020 and 30 June 2021 in the intensive care and other clinics of our hospital were evaluated from the records, retrospectively. A total of 140 patients were diagnosed with AKI according to the criteria of Kidney Disease Global Outcomes (KDIGO). The patients were divided into two groups as KDIGO stages 1 and 2 and 3. RESULTS: The median age in both groups was 70 (35-92) and 73 (35-90) years. Approximately 70% of them were >65 years old. Almost all of the patients had hypertension. Most of the patients were using angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inh) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) (84%). AKI was present at the time of admission (61.9%) in the KDIGO 1 group and at the time of hospitalization (64.3%) in the KDIGO 2, 3 groups. The mortality rate was higher in stage 2-3 AKI patients (35.7%). Ferritin and fibrinogen levels were high in the KDIGO 2, 3 group, while lymphocyte levels were low. CONCLUSION: AKI can be seen at the time of admission and during treatment in patients who are hospitalized and treated due to COVID-19. COVID-19 is more mortal in patients with advanced AKI. (Table Presented).

THE LONGITUDINAL EVOLUTION OF COVID-19 OUTCOMES AMONG HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS: A NATIONWIDE MULTICENTRE CONTROLLED STUDY

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Haemodialysis (HD) patients are at increased risk for adverse short-term consequences of COVID-19. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of chronic HD patients in the post-COVID-19 period and compared them with the control group. METHOD: We conducted a national multicentre observational study involving adult chronic HD patients recovering from COVID-19. The control HD group was selected from patients with similar characteristics who did not have COVID-19 in the same center. SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR negative patients and patients in the active period of COVID-19 were not included. RESULTS: A total of 1223 patients (635 COVID-19 groups, 588 control groups) were included in the study from the data collected from 47 centres between 21 April 2021 and 11 June 2021. The patients' baseline demographics, comorbidities, medications, HD characteristics and basic laboratory tests were quite similar between the groups (Table 1). 28th-day mortality and between 28th day and 90th day mortality were higher in the COVID-19 group than in the control group [19 (3.0%) patients and 0 (0%) patients;15 (2.4%) patients and 4 (0.7%) patients, respectively]. Presence of respiratory symptoms, rehospitalization, need for home oxygen therapy, lower respiratory tract infection and A-V fistula thrombosis were significantly higher in the COVID-19 group in the first 28 days of illness and between 28 and 90 days. Mortality was significantly associated with preexisting COVID-19, age, current smoking, use of tunneled HD catheter, persistence of respiratory symptoms, rehospitalization, need for home oxygen support, presence of lower respiratory tract infection within 28 days and persistence of respiratory symptoms. CONCLUSION: In the post-COVID-19 period, mortality, rehospitalization, respiratory problems and vascular access problems are higher in maintenance HD patients who have had COVID-19 compared to control HD patients. (Table Presented).

COVID-19 Infection in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: A Comparative Outcome Study with Patients on Hemodialysis and Patients without Kidney Disease

Objectives: There is limited data about coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) characteristics and results in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics and outcomes among PD patients and compare them with matched hemodialysis (HD) patients and a control group without kidney disease. Methods: We included 18 PD patients and consecutive age- and gender-matched 18 HD and 18 patients without kidney disease (control group) registered into the Turkish Society of Nephrology database including 1301 COVID-19 patients. We compared demographic, clinical, radiological, laboratory data, and outcomes namely intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mechanical ventilation, mortality, and composite outcome (death and/or ICU admission). Results: ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, and mortality rates in PD patients (27.8%, 22.2%, and 22.2%, respectively) and the HD group (16.7%, 11.1%, and 16.7%, respectively) were higher than the control group (11.1%, 11.1%, and 5.6%, respectively), but intergroup comparison did not reveal difference. A total of 11 (20.3%) patients had composite outcome (6 PD patients, 3 HD patients, and 2 patients in the control group). In Cox regression analysis, higher age and higher CRP level were related to increased risk of composite outcome. Adjusted rate of composite outcome in PD group was significantly higher than the control group (P =.050). This rate was similar in HD and control groups (P =.30). Conclusions: Combined in-hospital mortality and/or ICU admission of PD patients with COVID-19 was significantly higher than the control patients. There is a need for careful surveillance of PD patients for infection signs and prompt treatment of COVID-19.

Acute kidney injury in hospitalized COVID-19 patients: A multicentre study by Turkish society of nephrology

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) and the severity of AKI is linked to adverse outcomes. In this study, we investigated the factors associated with in-hospital outcomes among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and AKI. METHOD: In this multicenter retrospective observational study, we evaluated the characteristics and in-hospital renal and patient outcomes of 578 patients with confirmed COVID-19 and AKI. Data were collected from 34 hospitals in Turkey from March 11 to June 30, 2020. AKI definition and staging were based on the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes criteria. Patients with end-stage kidney disease or with a kidney transplant were excluded. Renal outcomes were identified only in discharged patients. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 69 years, and 60.9% were males. The most frequent comorbid conditions were hypertension (70.5%), diabetes mellitus (43.8%), and chronic kidney disease (41.5%). The proportions of AKI stages 1, 2, and 3 were 54.0%, 24.7%, and 21.3%, respectively. 291 patients (50.3%) were admitted to the intensive care unit. Renal improvement was complete in 80.7% and partial in 17% of the patients who were discharged. Renal outcomes were worse in patients with AKI stage 3 or baseline CKD. The overall in-hospital mortality in patients with AKI was 38.9%. By multivariate Cox regression analysis, age (hazard ratio [HR] [95% confidence interval (95%CI)]: 1.01 [1.0-1.03], p = 0.035], male gender (HR [95%CI]: 1.47 [1.04-2.09], p = 0.029), diabetes mellitus (HR [95%CI]: 1.51 [1.06-2.17], p = 0.022) and cerebrovascular disease (HR [95%CI]: 1.82 [1.08-3.07], p = 0.023), serum lactate dehydrogenase (greater than two-fold increase) (HR [95%CI]: 1.55 [1.05-2.30], p = 0.027) and AKI stage 2 (HR [95%CI]: 1.98 [1.25-3.14], p = 0.003) and stage 3 (HR [95%CI]: 2.25 [1.44-3.51], p = 0.0001) were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality. The in-hospital mortality rates across AKI stages by age, gender, and diabetes mellitus were shown in the Figure. CONCLUSION: Advanced-stage AKI is associated with extremely high mortality among hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Age, male gender, comorbidities, which are risk factors for mortality in patients with COVID-19 in the general population, are also related to in-hospital mortality in patients with AKI. Renal problems continue in a significant portion of the patients who were discharged.