Current status of COVID-19 among hemodialysis patients in the East Azerbaijan Province of Iran.

Introduction: Management of vulnerable patients during the COVID-19 pandemic requires careful precautions. Hemodialysis patients constitute a large group of at-risk patients that not only suffer from a compromised immune system but also are at a higher risk due to frequent admission to healthcare units. Therefore, a better understanding on the pathogenesis and possible risk factors of COVID-19 in hemodialysis patients is of high importance.

Methods: A total of 670 maintained hemodialysis patients from all dialysis units of the East Azerbaijan Province of Iran, including 44 COVID-19 patients were included in the present study. Possible associations between the backgrounds of patients and the incidence of COVID-19 were assessed. Also, hemodialysis patients with COVID-19 were compared to 211 nonhemodialysis COVID-19 patients.

Findings: Chronic glomerulonephritis patients and those with blood group A demonstrated a higher incidence of COVID-19. On the other hand, patients with blood group AB and those with hypertension etiology of kidney failure demonstrated a lower incidence of COVID-19. Hemodialysis patients with COVID-19 had higher counts of polymorphonuclears (PMNs) in their peripheral blood compared to other COVID-19 patients.

Discussion: A better comprehension on the risk factors associated with COVID-19 in hemodialysis patients can improve our understanding on the pathogenesis of COVID-19 in different situations and help the enhancement of current therapeutics for COVID-19 in hemodialysis patients.