Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 13, 2025
A Retrograde Implantation Approach for Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Placement in Mice
Published on: July 20, 2022
COVID-19 in Hospitalized Patients on Chronic Peritoneal Dialysis: A Case Series
Mala Sachdeva1, Nupur N Uppal2, Jamie S Hirsch2,3,4
1Division of Kidney Diseases and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Great Neck, New York, USA, msachdeva@northwell.edu.
Insights
COVID-19 in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) showed a mild clinical course. Most hospitalized PD patients with COVID-19 were discharged home, indicating positive outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), particularly those on hemodialysis.
- The impact of COVID-19 on the peritoneal dialysis (PD) population in the United States remains understudied.
- This report focuses on the clinical aspects of ESKD patients undergoing PD who were hospitalized with COVID-19.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the clinical characteristics, presentation, clinical course, and outcomes of ESKD patients on PD hospitalized with COVID-19.
- To provide insights into the specific challenges and management of COVID-19 in this vulnerable patient group.
Main Methods:
- Descriptive statistical analysis of adult ESKD patients on chronic PD.
- Data collected from 13 major hospitals within a New York health system.
- Analysis of clinical characteristics, presentation, and outcomes.
Main Results:
- Out of 419 hospitalized ESKD patients, 11 (2.6%) were on chronic PD.
- The majority of PD patients (82%) were discharged alive.
- Common presentations included fever and diarrhea; 3 patients developed culture-negative peritonitis.
Conclusions:
- Hospitalized patients with ESKD on PD and COVID-19 experienced a relatively mild disease course.
- Most patients on PD with COVID-19 were successfully discharged home.
- Findings suggest a generally favorable prognosis for this cohort.
Background:
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) population, with high mortality rates reported among patients on hemodialysis. However, the degree to which it has affected the peritoneal dialysis (PD) population in the United States has not yet been elucidated. In this report, we describe the clinical characteristics, presentations, clinical course, and outcomes of ESKD patients on PD hospitalized with COVID-19.
Methods:
We describe the characteristics, presentation, and outcomes of adult ESKD patients on chronic PD hospitalized with CO-VID-19 in our 13 major hospitals in the NY health system using descriptive statistical analysis.
Results:
Of 419 hospitalized patients with ESKD, 11 were on chronic PD therapy (2.6%). Among those 11, 3 patients required mechanical ventilation, 2 of whom died. Of the entire cohort, 9 of the 11 patients (82%) were discharged alive. While fever was a common presentation, more than half of our patients also presented with diarrhea. Interestingly, 3 patients were diagnosed with culture-negative peritonitis during their hospitalization. Seven patients reported positive SARS-CoV-2 exposure from a member of their household.
Conclusion:
Hospitalized patients on PD with COVID-19 had a relatively mild course, and majority of them were discharged home.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Peritoneal Dialysis II: Peritoneal Dialysis Systems and Complications
01:25Peritoneal Dialysis III: Nursing Management
01:30Peritoneal Dialysis I: Introduction and Procedure
01:24Chronic Kidney Disease II: Clinical Manifestations
01:27Dialysis
Acute kidney injury develops suddenly and can be caused by pre-renal causes (e.g., hypovolemia, shock), intrinsic renal causes (e.g., acute tubular necrosis), or post-renal causes (e.g., urinary obstruction). In contrast, chronic renal failure progresses gradually over time and is often...
01:15Dialysis