Mandatory Mask-Wearing and Hand Hygiene Associated With Decreased Infectious Diseases Among Patients Undergoing Regular Hemodialysis: A Historical-Control Study.
Front Public Health
; 9: 678738, 2021.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1315961
ABSTRACT
Background:
Infections are the second leading cause of death among patients undergoing hemodialysis. However, preventive measures against infectious diseases are limited and have not been made mandatory for patients.Objective:
To investigate the incidence of infectious diseases before and during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.Design:
A historical comparative study of a prospective cohort. Setting(s) February 1, 2015 to January 31, 2020 was defined as the period before the mitigative confrontation of the COVID-19 pandemic in China. The period from February 1 to June 29, 2020 was defined as the period of mitigative confrontation of the COVID-19 pandemic in China.Participants:
A cohort of patients undergoing hemodialysis whose infectious disease episodes were documented prospectively in the hemodialysis unit of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University since February 1, 2015.Methods:
Mandatory mask-wearing and reinforced hand-hygiene education were implemented to prevent COVID-19 from January 23, 2020 in China. The incidence of infectious episodes, including catheter-related infection, digestive tract infection, upper respiratory tract infection (UTRI), pneumonia, and infection at other sites, were documented and compared in the periods before and during the pandemic.Results:
The historical control group consisted of 157 patients, with 79 patients in the COVID-19 prevention group. The mask-wearing rate of patients increased from 1.5 to 100%. Hand sanitizer consumption increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The compliance rates of hand hygiene increased from 66, 75.5, to 55% in physicians, nurses, and other employees before the pandemic to 90.5, 92.5, and 76.5%, respectively. The incidences of UTRI and pneumonia decreased during the pandemic (p < 0.001). Notably, catheter-related and digestive tract infections also decreased during the pandemic (p = 0.003 and 0.034, respectively). A matched-pair study was conducted to further analyze the 79 individual changes in the incidences of infectious disease before and during the pandemic. As a result, the incidences of UTRI, pneumonia, catheter-related infections, digestive tract infections, and infections at other sites all decreased during the pandemic.Conclusions:
The present study indicated an association between mandatory mask-wearing and reinforced hand hygiene education and decreased respiratory, catheter-related, and digestive tract infection episodes in the hemodialysis unit.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Communicable Diseases
/
Hand Hygiene
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Journal:
Front Public Health
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Fpubh.2021.678738
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