Neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio predicts short-term outcome of COVID-19 in haemodialysis patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Information regarding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in haemodialysis (HD) patients is limited and early studies suggest a poor outcome. We aimed to identify clinical and biological markers associated with severe forms of COVID-19 in HD patients.

Methods

We conducted a prospective, observational and multicentric study. Sixty-two consecutive adult HD patients with confirmed COVID-19 from four dialysis facilities in Paris, France, from 19 March to 19 May 2020 were included.Blood tests were performed before diagnosis and at Days 7 and 14 after diagnosis. Severe forms of COVID-19 were defined as requiring oxygen therapy, admission in an intensive care unit or death. Cox regression models were used to compute adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs). Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests were used for survival analysis.

Results

Twenty-eight patients (45%) displayed severe forms of COVID-19. Compared with non-severe forms, these patients had more fever (93% versus 56%, P?3.7 was the major marker associated with severe forms, with an aHR of 4.28 (95% confidence interval 1.52-12.0; P?=?0.006). After a median follow-up time of 48?days (range 27-61), six patients with severe forms died (10%).

Conclusions

HD patients are at increased risk of severe forms of COVID-19. An elevated N:L ratio at Day 7 was highly associated with the severe forms. Assessing the N:L ratio could inform clinicians for early treatment decisions.

SUBMITTER: Mutinelli-Szymanski P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7717182 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature