COVID-19: mortality rates of patients on hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection might have a higher mortality rate in patients with end-stage renal disease due to immunosuppression. This study investigates the mortality rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the factors affecting mortality among patients who were on maintenance hemodialysis and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

A total of 200 patients, including 157 maintenance hemodialysis and 43 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients followed in our hospital, were included in the study. The patients' sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, history of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the previous year, death event, source of death (SARS-CoV-2 or not), presence of hospitalization due to SARS-CoV-2 infection, need for intensive care unit, need for ventilatory support in intensive care unit were obtained from the clinical file records.

85 of the 200 patients had a history of SARS-Cov-2 infection during the last 12 months. Forty-two (49.5%) patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection were hospitalized. Patients with SARS-CoV-2 had longer dialysis time, increased mortality, and significantly higher comorbidities such as coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure. Besides, heart failure and hypertension were the determining factors in the risk factor analysis for SARS-CoV-2 infection. In dialysis patients, the mortality rate in the last year, due to all causes, including SARS-CoV-2 infection, was 23% while the mortality rate due to "SARS-CoV-2 infection only" was 13%) (p > 0.05). Our findings are important in guiding clinical decision-making and informing the public and health authorities about the risk of death associated with COVID-19 in this patient group.