Trials Underway to Study COVID-19 Impact on Dialysis Patients

DaVita Clinical Research (DCR), a subsidiary of DaVita Inc., has begun enrollment on two clinical research trials to study how COVID-19 affects people with end stage kidney disease (ESKD) who are currently receiving dialysis.

"As a novel virus, there is still so much the medical community does not know about COVID-19," said Dr. Jeff Giullian, chief medical officer for DaVita. "By using our resources to conduct this research, we hope to contribute meaningful data to a worldwide effort. We are eager to share our findings about how the virus behaves in a medically vulnerable population with the intent that they will spur greater innovation."

In the first study, Registry of Sustained Immunity to COVID-19 among ESKD Patients, researchers are investigating how the presence of COVID-19 antibodies may influence future virus infection and potential immunity in patients who receive dialysis at DaVita dialysis centers. Participants will be monitored in the fall and winter over four months to examine additional exposure to COVID-19 and any illness progression.  

The second study, COVID-19 Progression in End Stage Kidney Disease, is investigating associations between genetic markers and the severity of COVID-19 symptoms in ESKD patients. Study participants are stratified into two groups: patients who have been diagnosed COVID-19 positive and patients without a history of COVID-19 who have tested positive for the Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody. Researchers aim to look for associations between genetic differences and COVID-19 disease severity.

"Our researchers are seeking to contribute to understanding COVID-19's impact on a patient population that has increased risk due to underlying medical conditions," said Amy Young, vice president of DCR. "These studies are particularly important to better forecast future COVID-19 outbreaks, minimize infections and, ultimately, save lives."

According to the United States Renal Data System, approximately 524,000 people in the U.S. have ESKD that requires life-sustaining dialysis care. These patients are among those at higher risk for COVID-19 due to underlying health conditions that compromise their immune systems. Recent research has also linked severe cases of COVID-19 to kidney complications, including an increased risk of acute kidney injury requiring continuous renal replacement therapy.