A clinical study on the changing dynamics of disease severity, management strategies and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients requiring haemodialysis.

Introduction: In this observational study, we describe the change in the clinical profile and outcome of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) over the course of the outbreak, among patients requiring dialysis, including chronic haemodialysis therapy.

Methods: This is a single-centre prospective observational study of patients with COVID-19 (as confirmed by RT-PCR) and renal failure requiring haemodialysis. Their clinical profiles and outcomes were analysed, vis-à-vis the changing disease severity.

Findings: A total of 483 patients were included, of whom 416 had end-stage renal disease and were on maintenance haemodialysis. Patients who were symptomatic at presentation had significantly higher levels of Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (p < 0.001), C-reactive protein (CRP) (p < 0.001), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (p < 0.001), higher degrees of lung involvement (p < 0.001) and required more respiratory support (p < 0.001). The overall mortality observed was 18.8%. In the late phases of the outbreak, there was a significant increase in disease severity without a statistically significant increase in mortality. Predictors of mortality on univariate analysis were age, diabetes mellitus, acute on chronic kidney disease, presence of symptoms on admission, NLR, CRP, LDH, computed tomography (CT) chest grades 3 and 4, and need for respiratory support; however, only age and the renal syndrome of acute on chronic kidney disease retained significance on multivariate analysis (p0.003 and p0.019, respectively).

Conclusion: Among patients on haemodialysis, higher mortality was observed in patients who were older, and among those with acute on chronic kidney disease. In the late phase of the outbreak, there was a statistically significant increase in disease severity without a corresponding increase in mortality.