Management of Patients With Glomerulonephritis During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Recommendations From the Canadian Society of Nephrology COVID-19 Rapid Response Team.

PURPOSE OF PROGRAM

This article will provide guidance on how to best manage patients with glomerulonephritis (GN) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

We reviewed relevant published literature, program-specific documents, and guidance documents from international societies. An informal survey of Canadian nephrologists was conducted to identify practice patterns and expert opinions. We hosted a national webinar with invited input and feedback after webinar.

METHODS

The Canadian Society of Nephrology (CSN) Board of Directors invited physicians with expertise in GN to contribute. Specific COVID-19-related themes in GN were identified, and consensus-based recommendations were made by this group of nephrologists. The recommendations received further peer input and review by Canadian nephrologists via a CSN-sponsored webinar. This was attended by 150 kidney health care professionals. The final consensus recommendations also incorporated review by Editors of the .

KEY FINDINGS

We identified 9 areas of GN management that may be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) clinic visit scheduling, (2) clinic visit type, (3) provision of multidisciplinary care, (4) blood and urine testing, (5) home-based monitoring essentials, (6) immunosuppression, (7) other medications, (8) patient education and support, and (9) employment.

LIMITATIONS

These recommendations are expert opinion, and are subject to the biases associated with this level of evidence. To expedite the publication of this work, a parallel review process was created that may not be as robust as standard arm's length peer review processes.

IMPLICATIONS

These recommendations are intended to provide optimal care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our recommendations may change based on the evolving evidence.