Prevention of Covid-19 Infections in Hemodialysis Units

Prevention of Covid-19 Infections in Hemodialysis Units
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Prevention of Covid-19 Infections in Hemodialysis Units
Introduction
The Covid-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the operability of departments within health facilities which, cumulatively, led to the disruption of services. This was more apparent for departments or units that focus on high-risk groups for severe SARS-CoV-2-related disease and death. Among these groups, according to Caplin et al. (2021), are patients with kidney failure and those receiving KRT. Black, minority ethnic groups, the socioeconomic disadvantaged, and those with high diabetes & cardiovascular disease risks are overrepresented in this category. The problem, however, is that those receiving in-center hemodialysis cannot self-isolate or shield from the infection. The work by Caplin et al. (2021) provides an evidence-based approach to protecting these patients even as new variants of Covid-19 emerge.
EBP Article Summary
According to Caplin et al. (2021, p. 1238), “…patients with kidney failure have been disproportionately affected by Covid-19, with 822 of the 36,437 Covid-19-related deaths in England as of 15 July 2020…” from this category. At least 76% of these deaths occurred among patients undergoing in-patient hemodialysis. In other words, in-patient hemodialysis Covid-19-related deaths make up 2% of all the deaths related to the virus. Thus, Caplin and colleagues set out to identify risk factors associated with the burden of disease during the 1st phase of the pandemic. To achieve this, researchers followed all London-based patients on in-center hemodialysis, collecting data from 2 March to 31 May 2020. Data (obtained from electronic records) involved pseudonymized clinical & demographic information, Covid-19 test results, and admission dates. Data on 5755 patients from 51 dialysis units across seven kidney centers were analyzed. The mean age of patients was 63 years, and 39% were women, out of which 42% were diabetic. Outcomes were associated with dialysis unit size, local community rate of Covid-19 infection, age, and diabetes. The researchers concluded that the rates of Covid-1...