Epidemiological analysis of the victims with crush syndrome in earthquakes of southeastern Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Each year, millions face natural disasters, encountering mass fatalities and severe medical issues such as crush injuries and crush syndrome. Crush syndrome, marked by acute kidney injury (AKI) and hyperkalemia, correlates with mortality. This study focuses on presenting epidemiological data on kidney disease resulting from the February 6, 2023 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaras. METHODS: This retrospective analysis included patients diagnosed with crush syndrome after the 2023 Kahramanmaras earthquakes, treated in regional hospitals or referred elsewhere in Turkey. Patient data were documented using the web-based system developed by the Turkish Nephrology Association Renal Disaster Working Group. RESULTS: Of the 1024 analyzed patients from 46 centers, 515 (50.3%) were women. The mean age was 41 ± 16 years, with a median duration of 12 h under rubble, and the median presentation time to the first health facility was 4 h after extrication from the rubble. Upon admission, 79.8% received intravenous fluid therapy, all potassium-free. Initial serum creatinine, K+, and creatinine kinase levels averaged 2.59 ± 2 mg/dl, 5.1 ± 1 mmol/L 38,305 ± 54,303 U/L, respectively. Intensive care unit (ICU) admissions were 53.6%, with mean hospital and ICU stays of 20 and 11 days, respectively. Compartment syndrome occurred in 40.8% of patients, with 75.8% undergoing fasciotomy. Acute kidney injury developed in 67.9% of patients, with 70.3% undergoing hemodialysis, totaling 3016 sessions on 488 patients. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 9.8%. CONCLUSION: Earthquakes have a significant impact on kidney health. Although our study indicates some progress compared to previous earthquake responses, there remains a crucial need for drills emphasizing post-earthquake initial response, fluid-electrolyte balance management, and emergency dialysis protocols.

Rhabdomyolysis-related acute kidney injury in patients with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Viral and bacterial infections may be complicated by rhabdomyolysis, which has a spectrum of clinical presentations ranging from asymptomatic laboratory abnormalities to life-threatening conditions such as renal failure. Direct viral injury as well as inflammatory responses may cause rhabdomyolysis in the course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). When presented with acute kidney injury (AKI), rhabdomyolysis may be related to higher morbidity and mortality. AIM: To compare rhabdomyolysis-related AKI with other AKIs during COVID-19. METHODS: A total of 115 patients with COVID-19 who had AKI were evaluated retrospectively. Fifteen patients had a definite diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis (i.e., creatine kinase levels increased to > 5 times the upper normal range with a concomitant increase in transaminases and lactate dehydrogenase). These patients were aged 61.0 ± 19.1 years and their baseline creatinine levels were 0.87 ± 0.13 mg/dL. Patients were treated according to national COVID-19 treatment guidelines. They were compared with patients with COVID-19 who had AKI due to other reasons. RESULTS: For patients with rhabdomyolysis, creatinine reached 2.47 ± 1.17 mg/dL during follow-up in hospital. Of these patients, 13.3% had AKI upon hospital admission, and 86.4% developed AKI during hospital follow-up. Their peak C-reactive protein reached as high as 253.2 ± 80.6 mg/L and was higher than in patients with AKI due to other reasons (P < 0.01). Peak ferritin and procalcitonin levels were also higher for patients with rhabdomyolysis (P = 0.02 and P = 0.002, respectively). The mortality of patients with rhabdomyolysis was calculated as 73.3%, which was higher than in other patients with AKI (18.1%) (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Rhabdomyolysis was present in 13.0% of the patients who had AKI during COVID-19 infection. Rhabdomyolysis-related AKI is more proinflammatory and has a more mortal clinical course.

Renal and patient outcomes of emergency hemodialysis in elderly individuals: a retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: The aging population, commonly defined as individuals aged 65 and above, faces an increased risk of kidney-related diseases. This study investigates emergency dialysis in the elderly population, focusing on indications, clinical and laboratory findings, renal status, and mortality rates. METHODS: The data of 442 elderly patients (≥ 65 years old) who underwent emergency dialysis at a tertiary university hospital were retrospectively examined. Demographics, comorbidities, emergency dialysis indications, clinical presentation, method, complications, pre/post-dialysis status, and follow-up were assessed. RESULTS: 74.9% of the patients had a history of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Emergency dialysis was mainly initiated due to hypervolemia (43.7%) and uremic symptoms (29.2%). Hypotension was the most common dialysis-related complication (34.4%). The mortality rate was 34.6%; among the survivors, 15.2% achieved complete renal recovery, while 32.5% and 52.3% developed dialysis-independent and -dependent CKD, respectively. In multivariate analysis, blood urea, serum sodium, mean arterial pressure, dyspnea, tachypnea, and tachycardia on admission were found to be associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: Our study provides insights into emergency dialysis challenges in the elderly population, emphasizing the need for personalized interventions and further research to improve care and outcomes in this growing demographic.

Investigation of APE1 and OGG1 expression in chronic hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: The role of DNA repair mechanisms is of significant importance in diseases characterized by elevated oxidative DNA damage, such as chronic kidney disease. It is imperative to thoroughly understand the functions of molecules associated with DNA repair mechanisms, not only for assessing susceptibility to diseases but also for monitoring disease progression. In this research, we investigated the APE1 and OGG1 gene expression levels, both of which are involved in the base excision repair (BER) mechanism in chronic hemodialysis patients with malignancy (HPM; n = 8) and without malignancy (HP; n = 36) in pre- and post-dialysis period and 37 healty persons. We also assessed how these values correlate with the clinical profiles of the patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted gene expression analysis using real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). No significant differences in APE1 gene expression levels were observed in pre-dialysis when comparing the HP and HPM groups to the control group. The expression levels of the OGG1 gene were significantly lower in both the HP and HPM groups in pre- and post-dialysis periods compared to the control group. Dialysis procedures led to a reduction in APE1 and OGG1 gene expression levels in both HP and HPM groups. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of our study elucidate the impact of alterations in the base excision repair (BER) mechanism, including the hemodialysis process, in end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

Could mesangial C3 deposition be an independent prognostic marker in immunoglobulin A nephropathy?

BACKGROUND: Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is a common primary glomerulonephropathy. There is evidence that mesangial C3 deposition plays a role in the development of the disease. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of C3 deposition on the prognosis of IgAN patients. METHOD: The study included 1135 patients with biopsy-confirmed IgAN from the database of the Turkish Nephrology Association Glomerular Diseases Working Group (TSN-GOLD). Patients were excluded from the study if they were aged < 18 or > 75 years or if C3 staining had not been performed in the immunofluorescent analysis. C3 deposition was defined as an immunofluorescence intensity of C3 ≥ 2 + within the mesangium. The primary endpoints were the development of end-stage renal disease, a 30% decrease in glomerular filtration rate compared to the basal value or an elevation in proteinuria to a nephrotic level (3.5 gr/day). RESULTS: Mesangial C3 deposition was observed in 603 (53.1%) patients. No statistically significant difference was found at baseline between the groups with and without mesangial C3 deposition, as for age, sex, BMI, proteinuria level, or the presence of hypertension. In the follow-up period with a mean duration of 78 months, no significant difference was found between the two groups regarding the primary endpoints (p = 0.43). A significant correlation between C3 deposition and segmental glomerulosclerosis (S1) according to the Oxford MEST-C classification was found (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Although a correlation was observed between mesangial C3 deposition and the S1 MEST-C classification, mesangial C3 deposition was not a prognostic factor in IgAN.

Investigation of XPD, miR-145 and miR-770 expression in patients with end-stage renal disease.

BACKGROUND: The effective maintenance of genome integrity and fidelity is vital for the normal function of our tissues and organs, and the prevention of diseases. DNA repair pathways maintain genome stability, and the adequacy of genes acting in these pathways is essential for disease suppression and direct treatment responses. Chronic kidney disease is characterized by high levels of genomic damage. In this study, we examined the expression levels of the xeroderma pigmentosum group D (XPD) gene, which plays a role in the nucleotide excision repair (NER) repair mechanism, and the expression levels of miR-145 and miR-770 genes, which play a role in the regulation of the expression of the XPD gene, in hemodialysis patients with (n = 42) and without malignancy (n = 9) in pre- and post-dialysis conditions. We also evaluated these values with the clinical findings of the patients. METHODS & RESULTS: Gene expression analysis was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Compared to the individuals with normal kidney function (2.06 ± 0.32), the XPD gene expression was lower in the pre-dialysis condition both in hemodialysis patients without cancer (1.24 ± 0.18; p = 0.02) and in hemodialysis patients with cancer (0.82 ± 0.114; p = 0.001). On the other hand, we found that miR-145 and miR-770 expression levels were high in both groups. We also found that expression levels were affected by dialysis processes. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between miR-145 and mir770 expression levels in the pre-dialysis group of patients with (r=-0.988. p = 0.0001) and without (r=-0.934. p = 0.0001) malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: Studies on DNA damage repair in the kidney will help develop strategies to protect kidney function against kidney diseases.

The Role of NF-κB, PPAR-α, and PPAR-γ in Older Adults with Metabolic Syndrome.

The etiopathogenesis of metabolic syndrome (MetS) has not been fully understood yet, and chronic low-grade inflammation is thought to be associated with the development of complications related to MetS. We aimed to investigate the role of Nuclear factor Kappa B ( NF-κB ), Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor- α and γ (PPAR-α, and PPAR-γ) which are the main markers of inflammation in older adults with MetS. A total of 269 patients aged≥18, 188 patients with MetS who met the diagnostic criteria of the International Diabetes Federation, and 81 controls who applied to geriatrics and general internal medicine outpatient clinics for various reasons were included in the study. Patients were separated into four groups: young with MetS (< 60, n=76), elderly with MetS (≥60, n=96), young control (< 60, n=31), elderly controls (≥60, n=38). Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and NF-κB , PPAR-α, and PPAR-γ plasma levels were measured in all of the participants. Age and sex distribution were similar between MetS and control groups. C-reactive protein (CRP), NF-κB levels (p=0.001) and CIMT (p<0,001) of MetS group were significantly higher than in the control groups. On the other hand, the PPAR-γ (p=0.008) and PPAR-α (p=0.003) levels were significantly lower in MetS. ROC analysis revealed that the NF-κB, PPAR-α, and PPAR-γ could be used to indicate MetS in younger adults (AUC: 0.735, p<0.000; AUC: 0.653, p=0.003), whereas it could not be an indicator in older adults (AUC: 0.617, p=0.079; AUC:0.530, p=0.613). It seems that these markers have important roles in MetS-related inflammation. In our results, suggest that the indicator feature of NF-κB , PPAR-α and PPAR-γ in recognizing MetS in young individuals is lost in older adults with Mets.

Arteriovenous fistula as the vascular access contributes to better survival of hemodialysis patients with COVID-19 infection.

BACKGROUND: While COVID-19 in chronic hemodialysis patients has high mortality and the pandemic will not end in the near future, effective follow up strategies should be implemented for these patients. Surgeries have been triaged according to their level of urgencies and arteriovenous fistula (AVF) operations were among elective surgeries. This study aimed to analyze the effect of vascular access on the outcomes of hemodialysis patients who had COVID-19. METHODS: One hundred four hemodialysis patients who had COVID-19 were retrospectively analyzed. Seventy-two of them had AVF as the vascular access while 32 of them had tunneled catheters. Inflammatory markers and outcomes of patients with AVFs and catheters were compared. A logistic regression analysis was performed in order to define factors that contribute to better outcomes in hemodialysis patients. RESULTS: COVID-19 had high mortality rate in hemodialysis patients (36.5%). Patients with catheters have higher peak ferritin levels (p = 0.02) and longer hospital stay (p = 0.00). Having AVF as the vascular access (OR = 3.36; 95% CI: 1.05-10.72; p = 0.041) and using medium cut-off dialyzers (OR = 7.99; 95% CI: 1.53-41.65; p = 0.014) were related to higher survival of the patients. COVID severity was inversely proportional to the survival (p = 0.000). CONCLUSIONS: AVFs contribute to higher survival of hemodialysis patients with COVID-19. Even in the pandemic era, end stage renal disease patients should be given the opportunity to have their vascular access properly created.

Renin-angiotensin system activation: may it increase frequency of obstructive sleep apnea in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease?

PURPOSE: Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) hyperactivity is a common entity in both autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We aimed to investigate the frequency of OSA in adults with ADPKD either with stages 3-4 or stages 1-2 chronic kidney disease (CKD) and evaluate the effect of RAS blockade on OSA in these patients. METHODS: This is a comparative, prospective, two-center clinical study. Eligible patients with ADPKD were enrolled in a polysomnography (PSG) study. Presence of OSA in patients with ADPKD was compared with individuals who underwent polisomnography study due to OSA symptoms. A subgroup analysis was performed in terms of the presence of OSA in ADPKD with eGFR values lower or higher than 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 (stages 3-4 and stages 1-2 CKD, respectively). RESULTS: Frequency of OSA (65%) was higher than in the general population and similar between the two groups (p = 0.367). Patients with ADPKD and eGFR ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 presented a similar frequency of OSA to the control group (p = 0.759). However, OSA was significantly more frequent in ADPKD with eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 (p = 0.018). Subgroup analysis revealed that presence of OSA also was significantly higher in ADPKD with lower eGFR levels (eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 and eGFR > 60 ml/min/1.73 m2) 14/17 (82%) and 12/23 (52%), respectively (p: 0.048). CONCLUSION: As kidney disease progresses, uremia and related factors of renal failure rather than RAS activation seem to play a more important role for the development of OSA in patients with ADPKD.

Do trace elements play a role in coronary artery calcification in hemodialysis patients?

PURPOSE: Abnormalities of trace elements have previously been linked to inflammatory processes in hemodialysis (HD) patients. We aimed to establish the trace element status of maintenance HD patients, to investigate the relationship between coronary artery calcification scores (CACs) and whole blood levels of trace elements. METHODS: Patients undergoing HD in three times a week for > 6 months and age-and sex-matched controls were included from October 2015 to June 2016. Data were collected from patient files. All subjects' whole blood levels of trace elements were measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). CACs for patients were assessed by multi-detector computed tomography. RESULTS: The 35 patients (male, 60%) with a mean age of 45.7 ± 10.4 years and 35 controls were included. HD patients showed significantly lower levels of selenium and uranium and higher cadmium (Cd), cobalt, lithium, manganese, nickel, lead, platinum, tin, strontium, and thallium levels compared to controls. Coronary artery calcification (CAC) was present in 21 patients (60%), and median CACs were 14.2 (IQR 0-149). Patients with CACs > median were significantly older, had a higher prevalence of hypertension and lower ALP levels than patients with CACs ≤ median. No significant differences in whole blood levels of trace elements were found between patients with CACs > median and patients with CACs ≤ median. A near significance was noted in median whole blood levels of Cd between these groups (P = 0.096). According to multivariate analysis, age was the only independent determinant for CAC development. CONCLUSION: Age is independently associated with coronary vascular calcification. High Cd levels might play a role in CAC development in HD patients.

Renal recovery after acute kidney injury requiring urgent hemodialysis is not associated with improved survival of the patients with multiple myeloma.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring urgent hemodialysis (uHD) is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). PURPOSE: To evaluate the renal function, outcome, and survival status of patients with MM who received uHD and to compare their overall survival with MM patients who did not receive uHD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 70 eligible MM patients who received uHD were included together with 70 control patients with MM. RESULTS: In the study group, 11 patients (15.7%) were known to have pre-existing chronic kidney disease. Thirty-four percent of the study group had AKI requiring uHD at MM diagnosis. Seventy-eight percent of the study group had severe AKI due to myeloma kidney. Renal function recovered in 36 patients (51.4%). Patients with MM who became hemodialysis dependent had significantly higher serum creatinine (sCr) levels at the time of AKI compared to patients with renal recovery (p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that high sCr on admission was significantly associated with hemodialysis dependence (odds ratio 0.78; 95% CI: 0.63-0.96; p = 0.018). The median overall survival was 30 months [IQR: 26] in the study group and 84 months [IQR: 96.25] in the control group (p < 0.05). Cox regression analysis showed that the need for uHD at initial MM diagnosis was associated with reduced survival (hazard ratio (HR) 1.9; 95% CI: 1.1-3.2; p = 0.017). Renal recovery did not provide a survival benefit. CONCLUSION: The need for uHD was associated with poor survival. Recovery of renal function was not associated with improved survival.

Acute kidney injury in Turkey: epidemiological characteristics, etiology, clinical course, and prognosis.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the etiologies, comorbidities, and outcomes of acute kidney injury (AKI) in Turkey and determine any potential differences among different geographical parts of the country. METHODS: This prospective observational study was conducted by the Acute Kidney Injury Working Group of the Turkish Society of Nephrology. Demographical and clinical data of patients with AKI at the time of diagnosis and at the 1st week and 1st, 3rd, and 6th months of diagnosis were evaluated to determine patient and renal survival and factors associated with patient prognosis. RESULTS: A total of 776 patients were included (54.7% male, median age: 67 years). Prerenal etiologies, including dehydration, heart failure, and sepsis, were more frequent than other etiologies. 58.9% of the patients had at least one renal etiology, with nephrotoxic agent exposure as the most common etiology. The etiologic factors were mostly similar throughout the country. 33.6% of the patients needed kidney replacement therapy. At the 6th month of diagnosis, 29.5% of the patients had complete recovery; 34.1% had partial recovery; 9.5% developed end-stage kidney disease; and 24.1% died. The mortality rate was higher in the patients from the Eastern Anatolian region; those admitted to the intensive care unit; those with prerenal, renal, and postrenal etiologies together, stage 3 AKI, sepsis, cirrhosis, heart failure, and malignancy; those who need kidney replacement therapy; and those without chronic kidney disease than in the other patients. CONCLUSION: Physicians managing patients with AKI should be alert against dehydration, heart failure, sepsis, and nephrotoxic agent exposure. Understanding the characteristics and outcomes of patients with AKI in their countries would help prevent AKI and improve treatment strategies.

Characteristics and Survival Results of Peritoneal Dialysis Patients Suffering from COVID-19 in Turkey: A Multicenter National Study.

INTRODUCTION: 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. Eighty-three (58.4%) patients were hospitalized, 31 (21.8%) patients were admitted to intensive care unit and 24 needed mechanical ventilation. Fifteen (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. Twenty-six 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. DISCUSSION/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.

Renal Manifestations in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Cohort Study During the Biologic Era.

BACKGROUND Renal involvement can complicate the course of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In this study, we aimed to analyze the extent of renal manifestations in patients with IBD (Crohn disease or ulcerative colitis) during the biologic era. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients diagnosed with and followed up for IBD for a period covering 16 years were retrospectively analyzed. Patients who received IBD diagnosis with clinical, endoscopic, and histopathological findings and were older than 18 years were enrolled in the study. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and treatment data were retrieved from the patients' medical records. RESULTS Of the 1874 patients analyzed, the diagnosis was ulcerative colitis in 1055 patients and Crohn disease in the remaining 819. Renal manifestations were found in 105 patients (5.6%), 55 (6.7%) of whom were diagnosed with Crohn disease and 50 (4.7%) with ulcerative colitis. Renal calculi was the most common renal manifestation for both Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis. Renal manifestations were related to disease activity and surgical resection history in patients with Crohn disease, whereas no such relationship was found in patients with ulcerative colitis. CONCLUSIONS Renal manifestations may be seen in up to 6% of patients with IBD, and patients with Crohn disease seems to have more risk than do patients with ulcerative colitis. Nephrolithiasis is the most common form of renal involvement in IBD and is closely associated with disease activity. This relationship between IBD and renal manifestations should be considered, especially when there are subtle renal symptoms.

Waning of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine-Induced Immune Response over 6 Months in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients and the Role of a Booster Dose in Maintaining Seropositivity.

INTRODUCTION: Although lower than general population, newly developed SARS-CoV-2 vaccines generate immune responses in end-stage kidney disease patients. However, the persistence of immune responses in the long term is not known yet. This study aimed to evaluate humoral immune responses in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients over 6 months and to analyze the effects of the booster dose. METHODS: Humoral immune responses of PD patients were measured after initial SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations and after 6 months following initial vaccinations. Immune responses were compared between patients who received and did not receive booster doses. PD patients were compared with 41 hemodialysis (HD) patients and 61 healthy controls. Humoral immune responses were measured by a commercial test that detects antibodies toward the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS: Twenty PD patients were evaluated over 6 months. The initial seropositivity rate was 90.9% with inactivated vaccine and 100% with mRNA vaccine. Seropositivity decreased to 44.4% after 6 months, and a booster dose helped in maintaining the 100% of seropositivity (p = 0.005). Magnitude of humoral response at the 6th month was also higher in patients who received the third dose (1,132.8 ± 769.6 AU/mL vs. 400.0 ± 294.6 AU/mL; p = 0.015). Among patients who did not receive the third dose, those who got mRNA vaccine could maintain higher seropositivity than others who got inactivated vaccine (75% vs. 40% for PD, 81.8% vs. 50% for HD). Seropositivity and antibody levels were similar for PD and HD patients after 6 months (p = 0.24 and 0.56) but lower than healthy controls (p = 0.0013). CONCLUSION: SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-induced antibody levels and seropositivity of PD patients significantly fall after 6 months. A booster dose after around 3 months following initial immunization might help in maintaining seropositivity.

The Longitudinal Evolution of Post-COVID-19 Outcomes Among Hemodialysis Patients in Turkey.

Introduction: Hemodialysis (HD) patients have increased risk for short-term adverse outcomes of COVID-19. However, complications and survival at the post-COVID-19 period have not been published extensively. Methods: We conducted a national, multicenter observational study that included adult maintenance HD patients recovered from confirmed COVID-19. A control HD group without COVID-19 was selected from patients in the same center. We investigated the characteristics and outcomes in the follow-up of HD patients and compare them with the non-COVID-19 group. Results: A total of 1223 patients (635 patients in COVID-19 group, 588 patients in non-COVID-19 group) from 47 centers were included in the study. The patients' baseline and HD characteristics were almost similar. The 28th-day mortality and mortality between 28th day and 90th day were higher in the COVID-19 group than non-COVID-19 group (19 [3.0%] patients vs. none [0%]; 15 [2.4%] patients vs. 4 [0.7%] patients, respectively). The presence of respiratory symptoms, rehospitalization, need for home oxygen therapy, lower respiratory tract infection, and arteriovenous (AV) fistula thrombosis was significantly higher in the COVID-19 group in both the first 28 days and between 28 and 90 days. In the multivariable analysis, age (odds ratio [OR] [95% CI]: 1.029 [1.004-1.056]), group (COVID-19 group vs. non-COVID-19 group) (OR [95% CI]: 7.258 [2.538-20.751]), and vascular access type (tunneled catheter/AV fistula) (OR [95% CI]: 2.512 [1.249-5.051]) were found as independent parameters related to 90-day mortality. Conclusion: In the post-COVID-19 period, maintenance HD patients who have had COVID-19 have increased rehospitalization, respiratory problems, vascular access problems, and high mortality compared with the non-COVID-19 HD patients.

Fluctuations in Interleukin-6 Levels during Hemodialysis Sessions with Medium Cutoff Membranes: An Analysis on COVID-19 Case Series.

INTRODUCTION: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is one of the most important mediators of inflammation. It is also the culprit for a severe disease course in COVID-19. While COVID-19 has higher mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients, medium cutoff (MCO) membranes were previously suggested as promising tools for better patient outcomes by purging inflammatory mediators. The aim of this study was to analyze changes in IL-6 levels of HD patients who were dialyzed via MCO membranes during their COVID-19 treatments. METHODS: This is an observational study on a group of HD patients who were admitted with COVID-19 diagnosis in a university hospital and intermittently dialyzed using MCO membranes during their hospital stay. IL-6 levels of the patients were measured before and after consecutive dialysis sessions by a commercial kit. Measurements were interpreted together with the clinical data. RESULTS: Nine patients with a total of 54 measurements were evaluated. IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients who died (median and interquartile ranges [IQRs] of IL-6 levels for patients who died and survived were 112.0 pg/mL [48.3-399.4] and 5.3 pg/mL [2.2-27.4], respectively; p < 0.001). In the comparison of changes in IL-6 levels with dialysis sessions, patients who survived had lower post-dialysis levels (median: 4.5 pg/mL; IQR: 2.2-7.6). However, IL-6 levels had a tendency to increase with dialysis sessions in patients who could not survive COVID-19 (median: 237.0 pg/mL; IQR: 53.8-418.2). CONCLUSION: This study describes over time variations in IL-6 levels of COVID-19 patients undergoing HD with MCO membranes. The trend for the changes of IL-6 levels during dialysis sessions was not uniform for all patients. Surviving patients had decreasing levels of IL-6 with consecutive dialysis sessions, while nonsurvivors had an increasing trend.

Antibody responses to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in hemodialysis patients: Is inactivated vaccine effective?

INTRODUCTION: Vaccines generally have reduced effectiveness in hemodialysis patients and a similar condition may also apply for the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. The aim of this study was to analyze humoral responses of hemodialysis patients to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. METHODS: Eighty-five maintenance hemodialysis patients who received either inactivated or mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines were investigated. Antibody levels were measured by a commercial antibody kit, which detected antibodies toward receptor binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Comparative analyzes were carried between vaccine groups and with a control group of 103 healthy volunteers. RESULTS: Seropositivity rate and antibody levels were significantly lower in hemodialysis patients who received inactivated vaccine (p = 0.000). While mRNA vaccine had better immunogenicity, both vaccines protected from symptomatic infection when seropositivity was achieved. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: When used in the same dose with the general population, inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccines generate reduced humoral response in hemodialysis patients. mRNA vaccines have better immunogenicity in this group.

Characteristics and outcomes of hospitalised older patients with chronic kidney disease and COVID-19: A multicenter nationwide controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: Older adults with co-morbidities have been reported to be at higher risk for adverse outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The characteristics of COVID-19 in older patients and its clinical outcomes in different kidney disease groups are not well known. METHODS: Data were retrieved from a national multicentric database supported by Turkish Society of Nephrology, which consists of retrospectively collected data between 17 April 2020 and 31 December 2020. Hospitalised patients aged 18 years or older with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis suffering from stage 3-5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) or on maintenance haemodialysis (HD) treatment were included in the database. Non-uraemic hospitalised patients with COVID-19 were also included as the control group. RESULTS: We included 879 patients [388 (44.1%) female, median age: 63 (IQR: 50-73) years]. The percentage of older patients in the CKD group was 68.8% (n = 188/273), in the HD group was 49.0% (n = 150/306) and in the control group was 30.4% (n = 70/300). Co-morbidities were higher in the CKD and HD groups. The rate of presentation with severe-critical disease was higher in the older CKD and HD groups (43.6%, 55.3% and 16.1%, respectively). Among older patients, the intensive care unit (ICU) admission rate was significantly higher in the CKD and HD groups than in the control group (38.8%, 37.3% and 15.7%, respectively). In-hospital mortality or death and/or ICU admission rates in the older group were significantly higher in the CKD (29.3% and 39.4%) and HD groups (26.7% and 30.1%) compared with the control group (8.6% and 17.1%). In the multivariate analysis, in-hospital mortality rates in CKD and HD groups were higher than control group [hazard ratio (HR): 4.33 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.53-12.26) and HR: 3.09 (95% CI: 1.04-9.17), respectively]. CONCLUSION: Among older COVID-19 patients, in-hospital mortality is significantly higher in those with stage 3-5 CKD and on maintenance HD than older patients without CKD regardless of demographic characteristics, co-morbidities, clinical and laboratory data on admission.