COVID-19 in Dialysis and Kidney Transplant Patients

Abstract

COVID-19 problems are more common in recipients of kidney transplants. There is, however, a dearth of information on the likelihood of allograft damage or death in kidney transplant recipients recuperating with COVID-19. Objective: To investigate the effect of Covid-19 on kidney transplant and dialysis patients. Methods: This Retrospective study was conducted at Department of Medicine, Avicena Medical College, Lahore from 1st October 2022 to 31st March 2023. One hundred patients with age >18 years being kidney patients diagnosed with kidney failure or had a kidney allograft were included. Patients were grouped as either kidney transplant (Group A) or hemodialysis (Group B) where both groups were Covid-19 positive on diagnosis. The score represented 1 as fit and 9 as terminally ill. Any comorbidity related with these patients apart from the kidney failure was recorded including their obesity level. The eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) was considered as zero in dialysis cases with residual diuresis ≤ 200 mL/day and 5 mL/min/1.73 m2. Results: There were 40% kidney transplant patients positive with Covid-19 infection and 60% with hemodialysis having positive Covid-19 infection. Majority of the patients in both groups A and B were males with a percentage of 57.5% and 59.4% respectively. The clinical frailty score was higher in group B than A. Odds ratio results showed that 28 days probability risk ratio of death was higher in the kidney transplant group A patients suffering from Covid-19 virus than hemodialysis. Conclusions: Kidney transplant cases have higher severity of complication and death in cases where patients become corona virus positive.