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Multicenter Study
. 2022 Jan 7;19(2):684.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph19020684.

Analysis of Experiences in Preventing COVID-19 in Hemodialysis Centers of the North of Poland before the Era of Vaccination

Bogdan Biedunkiewicz  1 , Leszek Tylicki  1 , Ewelina Puchalska-Reglińska  2 , Alicja Dębska-Ślizień  1
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Analysis of Experiences in Preventing COVID-19 in Hemodialysis Centers of the North of Poland before the Era of Vaccination

Bogdan Biedunkiewicz et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: The appearance of very contagious SARS-CoV-2 variants and waning vaccine immunity may indicate the need to return to using universal methods of preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Methods: We performed a multicenter retrospective cohort survey study to describe the methods used in dialysis units to prevent and control the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and also the association between these methods and the incidence of COVID-19 among hemodialyzed (HD) patients before the era of vaccination. The study population included all maintenance HD patients (n = 1569) in 14 dialysis units in the Pomeranian Voivodeship.

Results: The group of 352 patients (199 men, 153 female) were confirmed for COVID-19. The absolute cumulative incidence in the studied period was 22.4%. It varied widely by dialysis units, ranging from 9.4% to 36.9%. Universal preventive methods were applied by all units. Different additional methods were implemented in some stations with varying frequency (36-86%). In order to quantify the scale of the applied additional preventive methods, we calculated a summary prevention index (PI), i.e., one point for one additional method. Lower incidence was found in centers applying dialysis in isolation of patients hospitalized due to diseases requiring hospitalization (17.42% ± 6.89 vs. 26.54 ± 6.34; p = 0.028) and higher incidence in medium-size dialysis centers (ANOVA F: p = 0.017). Significant inverse correlation between PI and incidence was demonstrated as well (r = -0.759; p = 0.002).

Conclusions: The higher the number of implemented preventive measures, the lower the risk of COVID-19 infection in HD patients. Among applied procedures the isolation of hospitalized patients is of significant importance. The measures proved to be effective in prevention before the vaccination era should be continued, as the threat of SARS-CoV-2 still exists.

Keywords: COVID-19; epidemiology; hemodialysis; incidence; prevention.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The relationship between PI and rate of SARS-CoV-2 incidence (%).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Recommendations for COVID-19 preventive methods in a dialysis unit.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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