Impact of variant of concern and vaccination status on COVID-19 infection virological dynamics in end stage kidney disease patients receiving haemodialysis.

AIM: It is unclear if variant of concern and vaccination status impact COVID-19 infection virological dynamics in haemodialysis patients and affect de-isolation protocol for dialysis centres. METHOD: We performed a retrospective observational cohort study between February 2020 to September 2021, to examine the virological kinetics of vaccinated and unvaccinated haemodialysis patients with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed COVID-19 infection of the delta and pre-delta variants. RESULTS: Of the 38 subjects with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infection, we found that individuals infected during the delta-variant period had higher viral load at presentation and required longer duration to achieve a negative PCR swab, compared to those infected in the pre-delta variant period. Time to achieve negative PCR swab was longest in unvaccinated individuals infected during delta-variant period. However, vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals achieved high PCR cycle threshold value of ≥25 and ≥30 at similar timing. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that patients infected during delta-variant period of COVID-19 illness, have higher viral load at presentation and prolonged viral shedding, especially in the unvaccinated cohort. However, prolonged time to negative PCR is likely due to inactive virus shedding, and that conversion to negative PCR may not be a necessary pre-requisite for de-isolation.

Dialysis circuit clotting in critically ill patients with COVID-19 infection.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has been associated with a hypercoagulable state with increased reports of thrombotic events. Acute kidney injury requiring dialysis is common in critically ill patients and circuit clotting compromises efficacy of treatment. This study aims to analyze the circuit life and circuit clotting during continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT) and intermittent hemodialysis in patients with and without COVID-19. METHODS: This is a single-center, retrospective cohort study in critically ill patients undergoing CKRT or intermittent hemodialysis between 1 February 2020 to 22 May 2020. Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) with COVID-19 infection and contemporary controls who tested negative were included. Co-primary outcomes were functional circuit life for patients on CKRT and all circuit clotting events for patients on CKRT and/or intermittent hemodialysis. RESULTS: Seventy CKRT circuits and 32 intermittent hemodialysis sessions for 12 COVID-19 cases and 22 CKRT circuits and 18 intermittent hemodialysis sessions for 15 controls were analyzed. CKRT circuit clotting was more common in the COVID-19 group compared to the control group (64% vs 36%, p = 0.02), despite higher anticoagulation use in the COVID-19 group (41% vs 14%, p = 0.02). Functional CKRT circuit life was similar in COVID-19 patients and controls (median 11 vs 12 h, p = 0.69). On Cox regression analysis, circuit clotting was similar with hazard ratio (HR) 1.90 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.89-4.04]; however, clotting was increased in COVID-19 patients after adjustment for anticoagulation use (HR: 3.31 [95% CI 1.49-7.33]). In patients with COVID-19, CKRT circuits with anticoagulation had a longer circuit life compared to CKRT circuits without anticoagulation (median 22 versus 7 h respectively, p <  0.001). Circuit clotting was similar in both groups undergoing intermittent hemodialysis. CONCLUSION: Dialysis clotting amongst COVID-19 patients is increased despite more anticoagulation use and the hazard for clotting is greater especially after adjusting for anticoagulation use. Circuit life was suboptimal in COVID-19 patients on circuits without anticoagulation and therefore routine use of anticoagulation amongst COVID-19 patients should be considered whenever possible.

Risk Factors for Development of Acute Kidney Injury in COVID-19 Patients: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Acute kidney injury (AKI) in coronavirus infection disease (COVID-19) is associated with disease severity. We aimed to evaluate risk factors associated with AKI beyond COVID-19 severity. METHODS: A retrospective observational study of COVID-19 patients admitted to a tertiary hospital in Singapore. Logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between risk factors and AKI (based on Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes criteria). Dominance analysis was performed to evaluate the relative importance of individual factors. RESULTS: Seven hundred seven patients were included. Median age was 46 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 29-57) and 57% were male with few comorbidities (93%, Charlson Comorbidity Index [CCI] <1). AKI occurred in 57 patients (8.1%); 39 were in AKI stage 1 (68%), 9 in stage 2 (16%), and 9 in stage 3 (16%). Older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.07), baseline use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) (aOR 2.86; 95% CI: 1.20-6.83), exposure to vancomycin (aOR 5.84; 95% CI: 2.10-16.19), use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (aOR 3.04; 95% CI: 1.15-8.05), and severe COVID-19 with hypoxia (aOR 13.94; 95% CI: 6.07-31.98) were associated with AKI in the multivariable logistic regression model. The 3 highest ranked predictors were severe COVID-19 with hypoxia, vancomycin exposure, and age, accounting for 79.6% of the predicted variance (41.6, 23.1, and 14.9%, respectively) on dominance analysis. CONCLUSION: Severe COVID-19 is independently associated with increased risk of AKI beyond premorbid conditions and age. Appropriate avoidance of vancomycin and NSAIDs are potentially modifiable means to prevent AKI in patients with COVID-19.

Ensuring Sustainability of Continuous Kidney Replacement Therapy in the Face of Extraordinary Demand: Lessons From the COVID-19 Pandemic.

With the exponential surge in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide, the resources needed to provide continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT) for patients with acute kidney injury or kidney failure may be threatened. This article summarizes subsisting strategies that can be implemented immediately. Pre-emptive weekly multicenter projections of CKRT demand based on evolving COVID-19 epidemiology and routine workload should be made. Corresponding consumables should be quantified and acquired, with diversification of sources from multiple vendors. Supply procurement should be stepped up accordingly so that a several-week stock is amassed, with administrative oversight to prevent disproportionate hoarding by institutions. Consumption of CKRT resources can be made more efficient by optimizing circuit anticoagulation to preserve filters, extending use of each vascular access, lowering blood flows to reduce citrate consumption, moderating the CKRT intensity to conserve fluids, or running accelerated KRT at higher clearance to treat more patients per machine. If logistically feasible, earlier transition to intermittent hemodialysis with online-generated dialysate, or urgent peritoneal dialysis in selected patients, may help reduce CKRT dependency. These measures, coupled to multicenter collaboration and a corresponding increase in trained medical and nursing staffing levels, may avoid downstream rationing of care and save lives during the peak of the pandemic.