Covid death rate high in those with kidney ailments, shows study

A study conducted by SevenHills Hospital found that between April and July 2020, the mortality rate among Covid-19 patients with chronic kidney diseases (CKD) was significantly higher than that of the other Covid-positive patients.

A study conducted by SevenHills Hospital found that between April and July 2020, the mortality rate among Covid-19 patients with chronic kidney diseases (CKD) was significantly higher than that of the other Covid-positive patients. Patients above 60 years of age who were on regular dialysis were the most vulnerable to the infection due to their low immunity.

Patients above 60 years of age who were on regular dialysis were the most vulnerable to the infection due to their low immunity. (HT FILE)

When the pandemic started in March 2020, most dialysis centres shut down due to the possible risk of spreading the infection. As HT has reported earlier, this led to chaos among CKD patients, particularly those who were Covid-positive and needed regular dialysis. Soon after, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) started dialysis facilities for Covid patients at the civic-run SevenHills Hospital.

Between April and July 2020, the hospital saw around 70 Covid-positive patients receive dialysis treatment daily. During this period, the hospital conducted a study on 310 co-infected patients, which revealed the recovery rate was 76.1% among patients with CKD and the mortality rate was 23.87%. Titled “A cross-sectional study to assess impact of Covid-19 infections amongst patients with chronic kidney diseases”, the study was published in the International Journal of Community Medicines and Public Health in February. In April, the mortality rate was 6.5% and in July it was 5.5%

The mortality rate of the surveyed patients depended on three basic factors: the age of the patient; the stage of infection spread; and frequency of dialysis.

“In comparison to the general public, the mortality rate was higher among CKD patients. We have noticed that the death rate was the highest among patients above 60 years, due to their underlying health issues. Many elderly patients had comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension which further compromised their immunity,” said Dr Harshalkumar Mahajan, assistant professor, community medicines, at Seven Hills Hospital. Dr Mahajan was part of the study.

The study found that more patients who were diagnosed late succumbed to the infection than those who received treatment early. “In our study, we found that the mortality rate among severely infected patients was 22.3%, which was the highest. We haven’t recorded death among mildly symptomatic patients during the study. This reflects on the importance of early diagnosis of patients with kidney ailments whose immunity is already compromised,” said Dr Smitha S Chavhan, principal researcher and additional dean of the hospital.

Also, the study revealed that the Sars-Cov-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, remains longer in the bodies of those aged above 60 years.

According to BMC’s data, more than 2,300 patients with CKD have contracted Covid-19 in the city since March 2020. Doctors said the mortality rate among such patients has improved since the onset of the pandemic. “When the pandemic started, the availability of dialysis centres for such patients were limited. Many faced problems commuting in the lockdown. But now, the situation has improved which has also helped to improve the mortality rate,” said Dr Chavhan.