Age and multimorbidities as poor prognostic factors for COVID-19 in hemodialysis: a Lebanese national study.

BACKGROUND: Hemodialysis patients with COVID-19 have been reported to be at higher risk for death than the general population. Several prognostic factors have been identified in the studies from Asian, European or American countries. This is the first national Lebanese study assessing the factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 mortality in hemodialysis patients. METHODS: This is an observational study that included all chronic hemodialysis patients in Lebanon who were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 from 31st March to 1st November 2020. Data on demographics, comorbidities, admission to hospital and outcome were collected retrospectively from the patients' medical records. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to assess risk factors for mortality. RESULTS: A total of 231 patients were included. Mean age was 61.46 ± 13.99 years with a sex ratio of 128 males to 103 females. Around half of the patients were diabetics, 79.2% presented with fever. A total of 115 patients were admitted to the hospital, 59% of them within the first day of diagnosis. Hypoxia was the major reason for hospitalization. Death rate was 23.8% after a median duration of 6 (IQR, 2 to 10) days. Adjusted regression analysis showed a higher risk for death among older patients (odds ratio = 1.038; 95% confidence interval: 1.013, 1.065), patients with heart failure (odds ratio = 4.42; 95% confidence interval: 2.06, 9.49), coronary artery disease (odds ratio = 3.27; 95% confidence interval: 1.69, 6.30), multimorbidities (odds ratio = 1.593; 95% confidence interval: 1.247, 2.036), fever (odds ratio = 6.66; 95% confidence interval: 1.94, 27.81), CRP above 100 mg/L (odds ratio = 4.76; 95% confidence interval: 1.48, 15.30), and pneumonia (odds ratio = 19.18; 95% confidence interval: 6.47, 56.83). CONCLUSIONS: This national study identified older age, coronary artery disease, heart failure, multimorbidities, fever and pneumonia as risk factors for death in patients with COVID-19 on chronic hemodialysis. The death rate was comparable to other countries and estimated at 23.8%.

Renal transplantation for infantile and juvenile cystinosis: Two case report and review of the literature.

Cystinosis is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder characterized by cystine buildup in various tissues, including the kidneys. Renal involvement is the primary manifestation, leading to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) if left untreated. Kidney transplantation (KT) in patients with cystinosis has significantly improved their prognosis for the disease outcome. Detailed reports on preoperative and Long-term postoperative management in these patients remain sparse. This report discusses the outcomes of two young adult patients of Middle Eastern descent with cystinosis who underwent KT. The first patient, diagnosed with infantile nephropathic cystinosis treated by cystine-depleting therapy, was operated by KT at the age of 18. The second patient, diagnosed with juvenile cystinosis, underwent transplantation at the age of 35 after being treated with hemodialysis. Our report describes detailed pre- and postoperative managements, including laboratory results, and pharmacological interventions. Both cases highlighted the varying clinical manifestations and disease severity between infantile and juvenile cystinosis. Pre-transplant conditions included renal dysfunction, growth retardation, secondary hyperparathyroidism, anemia, and extrarenal manifestations. Following KT, both patients experienced regained renal function, resolution of extrarenal complications, and normalization of laboratory parameters. Furthermore, both patients showed excellent postoperative outcomes with no acute rejection or allograft-related complications. KT is the treatment of choice for cystinosis patients with ESRD. Long-term follow-up post-transplantation is crucial to maintain good graft function. Further studies may elucidate optimal pre- and postoperative management protocols for this rare condition.