The use of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in hemodialysis patients

Abstract

Patients with end-stage kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis have one of the highest COVID-19 mortality rates. The use of innovative methods capable of optimizing their treatment outcomes is important for clinical practice. Aims – to investigate the efficacy and safety of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies in COVID-19 patients treated with hemodialysis. Material and methods. We conducted a retrospective controlled single-center study with 102 COVID-19 patients on maintenance hemodialysis involved (M: 67;65.7%;W: 35;34.3%), aged 57.2±15.3 years. PCR-detected SARS-CoV-2 infection was diagnosed in all patients. Neutralizing monoclonal antibodies were administered to 69 patients, who formed the study group (group 1). The control group included 33 patients (group 2). The combination of bamlanevimab and etesevimab was the most frequent therapy used (in 59 patients). Results. In the course of the disease, group 1 patients, compared to those of group 2, had statistically significantly higher blood oxygen saturation values (94.2±5.7 vs 89.8±10.7);they required less frequent oxygen support (29.0 vs 54.5%) and ICU treatment (18.8 vs 48.5%), respectively. Fatal outcomes occurred in 4 (5.8%) of 69 patients who received neutralizing antibodies and in 6 (18.2%) of 33 patients who did not receive the therapy, p<0.05. Except for one patient, all other patients in both groups developed an unfavorable outcome due to progressive lung damage. However, only 4 of 6 (2/3) patients with progressive lung damage died in group 1, whereas the similar course of the disease proved fatal in all cases in group 2. Conclusion. The use of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies in hemodialysis patients is safe and effective when the drugs are administered early, the pulmonary process progression is insignificant and dominant SARSCoV-2 variants are sensitive to them. © 2022 Tomsk Polytechnic University, Publishing House. All rights reserved.