#6068 ERYTHROPOIETIN RESISTANCE IN HAEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS POST SARS-COV-2 INFECTION

Abstract

Abstract Background and Aims During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, patients undergoing chronic haemodialysis treatment were at particularly high risk of infection. This was due to their vulnerability given their state of immunosuppression and multiple comorbidities, on the one hand, and the circumstances that limited physical distancing during treatment, on the other. Even after negativation, patients with a previous infection experience symptoms such as persistent asthenia, muscle weakness, widespread pain and deterioration in perceived health status. In our study, we aimed to investigate the parameters of anaemia and the change in the erythropoietin resistance index (ERI) in haemodialysis patients with previous infection. Method We included 25 patients with a dialysis age >6 months, giving a total of 72 measurements. The distribution was assessed with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and with a graphical evaluation of the same. We calculated the ERI 3 months before the date of infection and in the 3 and 6 months after. These data were also compared with a control group. Patients were divided into 2 groups: Group A (patients with previous infection) and Group B (control group). Linear mixed models were performed to calculate the slope between the group and the ERI index. Results No statistically significant differences were found. The LMMs showed a significant interaction between the scores obtained at the visits performed and the study group, with a decrease in ERI over time of 0.21 at each visit. Conclusion Our results show that patients with previous Covid 19 infection have higher resistance to erythropoietin and require higher doses even months after infection. The response to erythropoietin in this population should be investigated in studies with larger cohorts, as anaemia is an important factor affecting the quality of life of our patients.