COVID-19 in end-stage renal disease: Does it differ?

Abstract

Background: Since December 2019, the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has spread throughout the world. The only methods for controlling this illness without appropriate medication and vaccine are ensuring hygiene habits, and isolation. The novel coronavirus (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, showed various prevalence and case-fatality rates among patients with pre-existing chronic conditions. End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients with renal replacement therapy (RRT) might have a higher prevalence and CFR due to reduced immune function from uremia and kidney tropism of SARS-CoV-2. Methods: In this study, we compared the effect of infection and the health status of the patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection in ESRD patients on RRT with those infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the general population. The current study was carried out on 100 end-stage renal disease patients and 300 from the general population, where we did retrospective assessment from files, taking history from patients and the general population. Results: High temperature, dry cough, general fatigue, loss of smell, and dizziness were significantly higher in non-ESRD COVID-19 patients than in ESRD COVID-19 patients. Mortality was significantly higher in ESRD COVID-19 patients compared to non-ESRD COVID-19 patients. Conclusion:We concluded that morbidity and mortality were higher in ESRD patients than in the general population, and clinical presentation of COVID-19 differs in ESRD from the general population.