ABSTRACT
Introduction: During armed conflicts dialysis patients may experience limitations or interruptions of therapy leading to severe life-threatening complications due to medical and logistical challenges. Before the Russian-Ukrainian war, there were approximately 10,000 adults requiring dialysis in Ukraine. Some patients decided to flee their place of residence and look for opportunities to continue dialysis in another location in Ukraine or abroad. To better understand the needs of conflict-affected kidney failure patients and to provide data which could support equitable and evidence-based prioritization of resources, the Renal Disaster Relief Task Force of the European Renal Association conducted a survey on distribution, preparedness and management of adults requiring dialysis displaced due to the war in Ukraine. Method(s): Cross-sectional online survey was conducted to assess the status of dialysis patients who were displaced across European countries since the beginning of the conflict in February 2022. The survey was sent to all national nephrology societies across Europe with a request to disseminate it to all dialysis centers in their countries. Data were collected between May and August 2022. Fresenius Medical Care (FMC) shared a limited set of aggregated data without direct center participation. Result(s): We received data on 602 patients (290 collected through the survey and 312 from FMC), who were dialyzed in 24 countries. Most patients were dialyzed in Poland (45.0%), followed by Slovakia (18.1%), Czech Republic (7.8%), Romania (6.3%), Germany (4.7%) and Hungary (3.5%). Most patients were originally dialyzed in Kyiv (north-central), Kharkiv (northeast), Odesa (southwest) and Zaporizhzhia (southeast). Before reaching the current reporting center, 34.6% of patients were treated in at least one other center since leaving their regular unit. Mean age was 48.1+/-13.4 years, 43.5% were females. Before patients left Ukraine, 95.7% had been on hemodialysis (HD), 2.5% on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (PD) and 1.8% on automated PD. HD session frequency was reduced under war conditions in 23.5% of patients. Eighty-eight percent of HD patients had a patent arteriovenous fistula, 7.3% were HBs antigen positive, 16.1% had anti-HCV antibodies, 0.6% anti-HIV antibodies and 27.3% anti-HBc antibodies. In terms of patient preparedness for displacement, 63.9% carried medical records with them, 63.3% had a list of medications, 60.4% had medications themselves and 44.0% had a dialysis prescription. Overall, 26.1% of patients were admitted to the dialysis unit in the possession of all these factors while 16.1% presented with none. After leaving Ukraine, 33.9% of patients were hospitalized. Of the 88.5% of patients tested in the reporting center for COVID-19 1.9% was positive. Communication and language problems were reported by 43.8% of responding physicians. Conclusion(s): Up to the end of August 2022, less than 10% of Ukrainian dialysis patients decided to flee their country since the start of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and the majority of them chose as their place for dialysis a country neighboring Ukraine. Preparedness for displacement varied and was incomplete in most patients. Results from our survey may inform evidence-based policies and interventions to prepare for and respond to special needs of vulnerable kidney failure populations during armed conflicts and other emergencies. No conflict of interestCopyright © 2023
ABSTRACT
Background: Patients receiving chronic hemodialysis (HD) are highly vulnerable in all settings. It is unknown whether the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected the care of chronic HD patients in low (LIC) and low-middle income (LMIC) settings. This survey aimed to identify global challenges and inequities in HD care delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) and the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) conducted a global online survey of HD units (HDU). Sample HDUs included DOPPS sites in China, a random sample stratified by region and HDU population, and an open invitation via ISN's membership list. The survey assessed availability of COVID-19 diagnostics and personal protective equipment, the impact of COVID-19 on HD delivery and patient outcomes from COVID-19. Responses were stratified by country income according to World Bank classification. Results: Responses were received from 412 HDUs across 78 countries (Table 1). Conclusions: Striking global inequities were identified in access to COVID-19 diagnostics, infection prevention, and access to routine HD care during the pandemic. Higher apparent mortality in patients on chronic HD in LICs and LMICs is likely multifactorial, reflecting poorer access to the diagnosis and care of COVID-19, as well as greater disruptions to HD delivery. Urgent action is required to address these inequities, which disproportionately affect low-income settings, exacerbate pre-existing vulnerabilities and lead to worse outcomes.
ABSTRACT
Background: Haemodialysis units (HDUs) have had to rapidly adapt practices and policies to safely continue life-sustaining HD services during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to describe the impact of COVID-19 in different parts of the world. Methods: The Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) and International Society of Nephrology (ISN) collaborated to web-survey individual HDUs. Responses were obtained in three ways: (1) a survey of DOPPS sites in China (May/ June 2020), (2) a random sample (20 units if > 40 units/ country;all units if < 40) stratified by region and HDU census (November 2020 -March 2021), and (3) an open invitation via ISN's membership list and social media (March 2021). Responses were compared between the ten ISN regions. Results: There were returns from 412 HDUs (46% public sector, 79% urban;70% adult, 2% paediatric, 28% adult & paediatric) from 78 countries (9% low-, 24% lowermiddle-, 28% upper-middle-, 39% high-income). Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on dialysis services and staffing worldwide. Differences in uptake of policies and practices across regions have likely been because of variable access to resources to enable implementation of diagnostic testing algorithms and adequate supply of PPE to implement infection prevention and control recommendations. Guidance should be consistent, adaptable to (nearly) all situations and locations, and evidence based. Going forward, the operationalisation of vaccine programs should be incorporated into guidelines. Disruptions to dialysis services should be minimised, and resource provision (including vaccines) prioritised by policymakers and governments in future waves of COVID-19 and pandemics if we are to protect HD patients, staff, and services.
ABSTRACT
Background: Home dialysis may be able to minimize SARS-CoV2 exposure risks. The pandemic may have introduced unique challenges related to supply disruption and care delivery changes. We sought to assess the global burden of COVID-19 on peritoneal dialysis units (PD) and understand PD unit practice changes during this time. Methods: The Peritoneal Dialysis/Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS/DOPPS) and International Society of Nephrology (ISN) administered a webbased survey (1) to dialysis units selected based on a random sample stratified by region (November 2020 -March 2021), and (2) to an open invitation via ISN's membership list and social media (March 2021). Responses were compared across 10 ISN regions. Results: Returned surveys included 167 PD facilities across 52 countries. Changes in several care domains including clinic communication and frequency, labwork frequency, method of communication, masking policies, changes in handling of PD effluent among infected individuals, PD supply disruption, access to methods of PD catheter insertion and frequency of new patient training are highlighted (table). Conclusions: Variability exists in routine PD care, and the availability and use of PPE, disruption in PD supplies among the different regions reflecting the availability of the resources and infrastructure differences. LMIC tended to be more severely impacted-this gap needs to be addressed in anticipation of future pandemics for treatment continuity. Although remote technology use among PD patients to communicate with their physicians has increased during the pandemic, optimal communication frequency, methods and schedule of routine bloodwork needs to be better elucidated.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Health care workers (HCW) are exposed to SARS-CoV-2 through patient contact. Objectives: We aimed to assess the seroprevalence for SARS-CoV-2 among HCW in the canton Grisons and analyze risk factors associated with seroconversion. Methods: HCW from 13 health care institutions were recruited. Sera were analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using an electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay of Roche Diagnostics in mid-2020 (survey I) and early 2021 (survey II). Participants reported risk factors for COVID-19 in a questionnaire.Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the association of seropositivity with each risk factor were determined by logistic regression. Results: SARS-CoV2 serology was positive in 99 of 2794 (3.5%) participants in survey I and in 376 of 2315 (13.5%) participants in survey II. By survey II, 86 of 88 (97.7%) initially seropositive participants remained seropositive. In multivariable analysis of both surveys, the strongest association for SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion was contact with a household member with COVID-19 (adjusted OR: 21.2, 95% CI: 8.5-51.4, p < 0.001, survey I;aOR: 8.5, 95% CI: 6.0-12.1, p < 0.001, survey II). Significant occupational risk factors included contact with patients with COVID-19 in both surveys (aOR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.4-5.4, p < 0.001, survey I and aOR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.0-2.2, p = 0.046, survey II). Contact to a SARSCoV- 2 positive co-worker was a significant risk factor only in survey I, whereas private contact with SARS-CoV-2 positive persons and the COVID-19 incidence in the region of the HCI were associated with seroconversion only in survey II. Conclusion: Contact with patients with COVID-19 was an important risk factor for seroconversion, although the risk was higher for household contacts. These findings highlight the need to optimize preventive measures for SARS-CoV2 infection among HCW.