COVID-19 vaccination & dialysis patients: Why the variable response.

Yen, Ju-Shao; Wang, I-Kuan; Yen, Tzung-Hai

Uremia affects all parts of the immune system. Since hemodialysis patients travel to the dialysis center three times per week and are surrounded by many other patients and staffs, these could predispose them to a greater risk of coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Mortality associated with COVID-19 infection is high in patients receiving dialysis. Currently, the World Health Organization has approved six types of vaccines (ChAdOx1-S, Ad26.COV2.S, BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, BBIBP-CorV and CoronaVac) for COVID-19. Literature data regarding the response rate towards COVID-19 vaccination in dialysis patients is inconclusive. The published response rates varied from 29.6 to 96.0%. The variable response rates across these clinical trials may be explained by different vaccine types, vaccine doses, criteria for positive immune response, timings of antibody detection, races and ethnicities. Side effects of COVID-19 vaccination comprise of pain at injection site, fatigue, myalgia, headache, low fever, syncope, pericarditis, etc. Clinical predictors of positive response towards COVID-19 vaccination include age, previous infection, immunosuppressive therapy, body mass index and serum albumin level. No one is safe until everyone is safe. Therefore, vaccination against COVID-19 infection in dialysis patients is an urgent issue of worldwide concern.