Hospital-based group medical quarantine increased the pre- dialysis blood pressure in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND

Quarantine is an effective measure to contain the spread of infectious disease, however, it can be a great challenge for patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of hospital-based group medical quarantine (H-GMQ) on blood pressure (BP) in MHD patients, and the effect of age on change in BP.

METHODS

MHD patients in our dialysis center who were under H-GMQ due to exposure to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were enrolled. Their demographic data, clinical characteristics, and laboratory data were collected from 3 months before H-GMQ to the end of H-GMQ. They were divided into two groups by median age (61 y). BP and related data before and during H-GMQ between groups were analyzed. The association between age and change in BP was estimated using multivariable linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

One hundred and thirty MHD patients were enrolled. The pre-dialysis systolic BP (SBP) and heart rate (HR) during H-GMQ were significantly higher than before, the serum sodium decreased significantly at the end of H-GMQ. After adjusting for covariates by multivariable regression, age had a negative correlation with BP elevation (R2 =0.218, P=0.246). Subgroup analysis showed that both pre-dialysis SBP and diastolic BP (DBP) increased significantly during H-GMQ in patients less than 61 years old, instead, neither SBP nor DBP changed in the elderly.

CONCLUSIONS

H-GMQ increased the pre-dialysis BP in MHD patients, especially in younger patients. More attention should be paid to these patients' BP if another quarantine is needed.