In recent years, dialysis at home has increased in popularity as it provides more comfort in the home setting and better reimbursement rates among insurances. Moreover, it also has been a safer option during the COVID-19 pandemic for a largely immunocompromised population. Learn more about one study’s findings of COVID-19 cases among hemodialysis (HD) patients at home versus in-center treatment.*

What Did the Study Find?

In a strictly observational study, researchers identified 3,622 patients receiving home dialysis and 9,890 patients receiving in-center treatment between March 2020 and November 2020. 

When comparing the two groups, researchers found:

• Patients on home dialysis had fewer SARS-CoV-2 tests done compared to in-center dialysis patients. 
• Patients treated at home had lower positive SARS-CoV-2 tests.
• Among patients infected with COVID-19, there was no difference between home and in-center dialysis patients on odds of hospitalization, ICU admission, or 30-day mortality. 

Jeffrey Perl, MD, FRCP(C), SM, of the University of Toronto and St. Michael’s Hospital, adds, “We found a lower burden of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, mortality, and ICU admission in community-dwelling home dialysis [vs.] in-center patients. Our findings may relate to greater case finding in the in-center population, more frequent health care encounters, and routine screening/outbreak surveillance, which was at the program’s discretion.”

What Does It Mean?

Providers and patients alike are beginning to find home dialysis a better option for reasons like increased insurance reimbursement, improved quality of life, and overall health. If you or a loved one receive in-center dialysis, talk to your nephrologist about the benefits and concerns of home dialysis. ​​While the transition may take time to adjust and require more training, you and your family may find it more beneficial. 

Perl concludes, “In addition to other purported benefits, a major shift to home-based dialysis care could render the [end-stage kidney disease] ESKD population more resilient to the effects of COVID-19, reducing exposure episodes and total exposure time to SARS-CoV-2 while conferring lower future exposure risks to highly transmissible infections.”

*Webb, M. J. (2021, August 9). Home dialysis reduces COVID-19 exposure, may prevent future infection transmission. Heal. https://www.healio.com/news/nephrology/20210809/home-dialysis-reduces-covid19-exposure-may-prevent-future-infection-transmission