Journal of Infection and Public Health (Oct 2023)

Remote monitoring as a surveillance method in patients on automated peritoneal dialysis for preventing complications and COVID-19 contagion

  • Miguel A. Cuevas-Budhart,
  • Miguel A. Trejo-Villeda,
  • Miriam Cabrera Delgado,
  • Beatriz Hernandez-Franco,
  • Marcela Ávila Díaz,
  • Alfonso Ramos-Sanchez,
  • Ramón Paniagua

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 16, no. 10
pp. 1619 – 1624

Abstract

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Background: Due to the health emergency of COVID-19, telemedicine has become more relevant. Remote monitoring conspicuous as a valuable tool for the clinical follow-up of kidney patients, in this case, who are treated with automated peritoneal dialysis. This study aims to describe the use of remote monitoring as a surveillance method in a cohort of patients on automated peritoneal dialysis prevent complications and COVID-19 contagion. Methods: Study of a cohort of patients who initially participated in a randomized block clinical trial in which the use of Automated Peritoneal Dialysis with Remote Monitoring (APD-RM) was compared with conventional treatment. A descriptive analysis was performed of the rates of infection by COVID-19, the time of incidence until this, mortality, and rates of transfer to hemodialysis. In addition, survival was measured by survival curves. Results: Of the 509 patients, 19 were positive for COVID-19 (incidence rate of 7.0 episodes/100 patient-year), and only six patients recovered from the infection; the death rate was 2.6 % compared to all-cause death of 9.8 %. The most affected group of patients were those over 50 years old, with 71.4 % mortality, in contrast to younger patients infected, with a mortality of 60 %. During the follow-up period, 21 patients were transferred to HD: six due to peritonitis, five due to UF failure, seven due to catheter dysfunction, one due to uremic syndrome, one due to COVID-19, and one by surgical intervention. Conclusion: APD-RM patients have a significant advantage over other dialysis therapies because the use of telemedicine not only provides continuity in the patient's clinical treatment but also favors the prevention of COVID-19 infection, the management and prevention of complications inherent to therapy and the preservation of the life of Peritoneal Dialysis patients.

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