Going to war with COVID-19: Strategies for SARS-CoV-2 management in the Padua Nephrology and Dialysis Unit's hemodialysis facility.

BACKGROUND

The recent SARS-CoV-2 outbreak represents a global health emergency, and dialysis patients are a high-risk population. Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in hemodialysis facilities require specific protocols to be planned and promptly executed for the management of suspected/confirmed cases of COVID-19 with respect to prevention, protection, screening, and isolation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In order to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in our Hemodialysis Unit, we adopted individual protection measures accompanied by measures to minimize contacts among hemodialysis patients with suspicious symptoms as well as other patients and medical staff. We provided our patients detailed instructions to be followed in the event of their having symptoms compatible with SARS-CoV-2 infection or having contacts with SARS-CoV-2-positive subjects. Ultimately, four possible scenarios and care paths were developed and implemented in collaboration with the Infectious Diseases and Emergency Units at the Padua University Hospital.

RESULTS

The application of this strategy has resulted in the nearly 200 patients treated in our hemodialysis facilities while there were only 2 cases of COVID-19 (1% incidence rate) with no deaths.

CONCLUSION

We attribute the low COVID-19 incidence noted so far for patients in our hemodialysis facilities to the early detection and prompt isolation of suspected patients per our specific plan along with the prompt application of preventive measures.