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Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Considering Shared Chairs in Outpatient Dialysis: A Real-World Case-Control Study (preprint)
medrxiv; 2021.
Preprint
in English
| medRxiv | ID: ppzbmed-10.1101.2021.02.20.21251855
ABSTRACT
Background:
SARS-CoV-2 is primarily transmitted through aerosolized droplets; however, the virus can remain transiently viable on surfaces.Objective:
We examined transmission within hemodialysis facilities, with a specific focus on the possibility of indirect patient-to-patient transmission through shared dialysis chairs.Design:
We used real-world data from hemodialysis patients treated between February 1st and June 8th, 2020 to perform a case-control study matching each SARS-CoV-2 positive patient (case) to a non-SARS-CoV-2 patient (control) in the same dialysis shift and traced back 14 days to capture possible exposure from chairs sat in by SARS-CoV-2 patients. Cases and controls were matched on age, sex, race, facility, shift date, and treatment count.Setting:
2,600 hemodialysis facilities in the United States. Patients Adult (age [≥]18 years) hemodialysis patients. Measurements Conditional logistic regression models tested whether chair exposure after a positive patient conferred a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection to the immediate subsequent patient.Results:
Among 170,234 hemodialysis patients, 4,782 (2.8%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (mean age 64 years, 44% female). Most facilities (68.5%) had 0 to 1 positive SARS-CoV-2 patient. We matched 2,379 SARS-CoV-2 positive cases to 2,379 non-SARS-CoV-2 controls; 1.30% (95%CI 0.90%, 1.87%) of cases and 1.39% (95%CI 0.97%, 1.97%) of controls were exposed to a chair previously sat in by a shedding SARS-CoV-2 patient. Transmission risk among cases was not significantly different from controls (OR=0.94; 95%CI 0.57 to 1.54; p=0.80). Results remained consistent in adjusted and sensitivity analyses.Limitation:
Analysis used real-world data that could contain errors and only considered vertical transmission associated with shared use of dialysis chairs by symptomatic patients.Conclusions:
The risk of indirect patient-to-patient transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection from dialysis chairs appears to be low. Primary Funding Source Fresenius Medical Care North America; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R01DK130067)
Full text:
Available
Collection:
Preprints
Database:
medRxiv
Main subject:
Diabetes Mellitus
/
COVID-19
/
Kidney Diseases
Language:
English
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Preprint
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