COVID-19 infection control measures and outcomes in urban dialysis centers in predominantly African American communities

BMC Nephrology

Janice P. Lea¹  Jason Cobb¹  Ibironke W. Apata¹  Jose Navarrete¹  Laura Plantinga²  John Burkart³ 

[1] Division of Renal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, 101 Woodruff Circle, WMB 3300, 30322, Atlanta, GA, USA;Division of Renal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, 101 Woodruff Circle, WMB 3300, 30322, Atlanta, GA, USA;Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA;Renal Division, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA;

关键词: Dialysis;    COVID-19;    SARS-CoV-2;    Infection control;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12882-021-02281-6

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundEmory Dialysis serves an urban and predominantly African American population at its four outpatient dialysis facilities. We describe COVID-19 infection control measures implemented and clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 in the Emory Dialysis facilities.MethodsImplementation of COVID-19 infection procedures commenced in February 2020. Subsequently, COVID-19 preparedness assessments were conducted at each facility. Patients with COVID-19 from March 1–May 31, 2020 were included; with a follow-up period spanning March–June 30, 2020. Percentages of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were calculated, and characteristics of COVID-19 patients were summarized as medians or percentage. Baseline characteristics of all patients receiving care at Emory Dialysis (i.e. Emory general dialysis population) were presented as medians and percentages.ResultsOf 751 dialysis patients, 23 (3.1%) were diagnosed with COVID-19. The median age was 67.0 years and 13 patients (56.6%) were female. Eleven patients (47.8%) were residents of nursing homes. Nineteen patients (82.6%) required hospitalization and 6 patients (26.1%) died; the average number of days from a positive SARS-CoV-2 (COVID) test to death was 16.8 days (range 1–34). Two patients dialyzing at adjacent dialysis stations and a dialysis staff who cared for them, were diagnosed with COVID-19 in a time frame that may suggest transmission in the dialysis facility. In response, universal masking in the facility was implemented (prior to national guidelines recommending universal masking), infection control audits and re-trainings of PPE were also done to bolster infection control practices.ConclusionWe successfully implemented recommended COVID-19 infection control measures aimed at mitigating the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Most of the patients with COVID-19 required hospitalizations. Dialysis facilities should remain vigilant and monitor for possible transmission of COVID-19 in the facility.

【 授权许可】

CC BY