The Influences of COVID-19 on Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study (preprint)

ABSTRACT

Background: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has attracted global attention. This study aimed at exploring the change of illness, daily life and psychological responses during the pandemic of COVID-19 among chronic kidney disease patients.Methods: The study was conducted by collecting the questionnaires in 5 nephrology centers. The questionnaire consisted of two main parts the influences of COVID-19 and assessment of anxiety by using Self-Rating Anxiety Scale. The first part included (1) basic demographic data; (2) the influences of COVID-19 on the illness and daily life; (3) patients’ psychological responses during the epidemic.Findings: 612 patients were included and divided into two groups according to eGFR. 96 patients (34%) in CKD stages1-2 group and 141 patients (42.7%) in CKD stages 3-5 group had reduced their follow-up frequency (p=0.031). More patients with CKD stages 1-2 consulted online (25.9%), p=0.005. Besides, patients with CKD stages 3-5 group tended to be more anxious about follow-up(p=0.002), fearful of being infected with COVID-19 (P=0.009), more likely to feel symptoms getting worse (p=0.006) and gained more help from medical staff during the pandemic period (p=0.038). The standard scores of SAS were 48.58±7.082 and 51.19±5.944 in CKD stages 1-2 group and CKD stages 3-5 group, respectively (p<0.001). And there were significant differences in the severity of anxiety (p=0.004).Interpretation: COVID-19 had a greater impact on patients with CKD stages 3-5 than stages 1-2 in illness, daily life and psychological disorder. Patients with CKD stages 3-5 were more anxious during the pandemic of COVID-19. Funding: None.Declaration of Interests The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.Ethics Approval Statement The study was in compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the ethical committee of West China Hospital of Sichuan University.