Characteristics and survival results of peritoneal dialysis patients suffering from COVID-19 in Turkey: A multicenter national study

Abstract

Background: We aimed to study the characteristics of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients with Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), determine the short-term mortality and other medical complications, and delineate the factors associated with COVID-19 outcome.Methods: In this multicenter national study, we included PD patients with confirmed COVID-19 from 27 centers. The baseline demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological data and outcomes at the end of the first month were recorded.Results: We enrolled 142 COVID-19 patients (median age:52 years). 58.2% of patients had mild disease at diagnosis. Lung involvement was detected in 60.8% of patients. 83 (58.4%) patients were hospitalized, 31 (21.8%) patients were admitted to intensive care unit and 24 needed mechanical ventilation. 15 (10.5%) patients were switched to hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration was performed for four (2.8%) patients. Persisting pulmonary symptoms (n=27), lower respiratory system infection (n=12), rehospitalization for any reason (n=24), malnutrition (n=6), hypervolemia (n=13), peritonitis (n=7), ultrafiltration failure (n=7) and in PD modality change (n=8) were reported in survivors. 26 patients (18.31%) died in the first month of diagnosis. The non-survivor group was older, comorbidities were more prevalent. Fever, dyspnea, cough, serious-vital disease at presentation, bilateral pulmonary involvement, and pleural effusion were more frequent among non-survivors. Age (OR:1.102; 95%CI: 1.032-1.117; p: 0.004), moderate-severe clinical disease at presentation (OR:26.825; 95%CI: 4.578-157.172; p<0.001) and baseline CRP (OR:1.008; 95%CI; 1.000-1.016; p:0.040) were associated with first-month mortality in multivariate analysis.Conclusions: Early mortality rate and medical complications are quite high in PD patients with COVID-19. Age, clinical severity of COVID-19, and baseline CRP level are the independent parameters associated with mortality.