ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Increased incidence of kidney injury has been seen in patients with COVID-19. However, less is known about COVID-19 susceptibility and outcomes in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on hemodialysis (HD). Reduced angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) from SARS-CoV-2 binding and increased angiotensin II (Ang-II) activity have been suggested as mechanisms for COVID-19 renal pathophysiology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this case series, we analyzed the data of 3 patients with ESRD who had a delay in receiving their regular HD. Reduced oxygen requirement, resolved hyperkalemia, and normalized fluid status were used for the basis of discharge. RESULTS: Presenting symptoms included fever, dyspnea, and dry cough. Laboratory markers were characteristic for COVID-19, such as lymphopenia, elevated D-dimer, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin 6 (IL-6). All 3 of our reported patients required urgent HD upon admission. However, we report no fatalities in our case series, and our patients did not have a severe course of illness requiring endotracheal intubation. We reviewed COVID-19 pathophysiology and how patients with ESRD on HD may be particularly at risk for infection. CONCLUSION: New renal failure or ESRD sequelae, such as hyperkalemia, uremic encephalopathy, and fluid overload, can be exacerbated by a delay in receiving HD due to COVID-19 infection. Both direct COVID-19 infection and the challenges this pandemic creates to health care logistics present unique threats to ESRD patients on HD.
ABSTRACT
A 78-year-old male, originally from China, was brought to the hospital for weakness, urinary incontinence, confusion, and poor oral intake. He was started on empiric antibiotics, which were narrowed when blood cultures produced gram-negative bacteremia speciating to Klebsiella pneumoniae, sensitive to ceftriaxone. Computed tomography scan of the abdomen and pelvis demonstrated a large cystic region with air-fluid level in the left lobe of the liver. Suspecting this to be the source of the patient's bacteremia, the lesion was percutaneously drained and the fluid cultured, which also revealed ceftriaxone-sensitive Klebsiella pneumoniae. While a stool ova and parasite examination on the patient was negative, further workup was positive for Entamoeba histolytica antibody in the serum, detected via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and indicative of either current or past infection. This suggested possible prolonged subclinical infection with bacterial superinfection, especially given that Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the most common organisms cultured from these abscesses. In patients with liver abscesses who immigrated from developing and/or endemic regions or have a relevant recent travel history, an underlying amoebic etiology of an abscess should be considered.
