The study shows that infections, hospitalisations, and mortality were significantly reduced among people who had taken at least one dose of the vaccine
NephroPlus has undertaken a broad study to simplify the complexities and understand the impact of COVID-19 on dialysis patients and the benefits of vaccination. The study published in Nephrology Journal, Kidney International Reports, finally bridges the gap between speculation and scientific fact. It also brings to bear the magnitude and severity of COVID-19, especially on patients undergoing dialysis. NephroPlus also studied vaccination and the rate of infections, hospitalisations, and mortality among vaccinated patients across India, with findings showing that vaccines are truly effective against COVID-19.
In the first wave, 14,573 dialysis patients were studied. Out of the number infected with COVID-19, 99 per cent were hospitalised for an average of 12 days and the mortality rate stood at 23 per cent. The study further sampled 17,662 patients in the second wave. 1,111 or 6.2 per cent of the screened patients were infected with COVID-19 and staggering mortality of 32.76 per cent was observed amongst these patients. Age is another important variable that comes to bear in the study. The mean age of COVID-infected people was 53.63, with 45 per cent of all infected persons above the age of 55.
According to the Principal Investigator, Dr Vivekanand Jha, the study showed that infections, hospitalisations, and mortality were all significantly reduced among people who had taken at least one dose of the vaccine.
Dr Jha mentioned, “We found that COVID infection among patients on dialysis was 20-fold greater than that reported in the general population when adjusted for age and sex. While it was 8.7 per cent among dialysis patients during the study period, the infection among the general population stood at 0.44 per cent during the same period”.
Kamal D Shah, Co-Founder, NephroPlus and a co-author of the study says, “It is important for dialysis patients to know that they have a high risk of contracting this lethal virus and die if they don’t take the vaccine.”
Besides Dr Vivekanand Jha and Kamal Shah, other members of the cutting-edge team of researchers include Dr Suresh Sankarasubbaiyan, Sr VP, Clinical Affairs of NephroPlus.
