Covid is here again! Mortality rate is higher among patients with chronic kidney and liver disease

COVID cases are skyrocketing again. With much news of forced and strict lockdowns in China, there is a looming danger for another wave of COVID. Relaxation in COVID guidelines have paved the way for the virus to become more transmissible. This makes wearing masks and cleaning hands crucial even today. Patients with chronic kidney diseases, cardiac problems and liver disease are more at risk than ever. Here’s why:

The ICMR reports have pointed to increased mortality in patients with chronic Kidney and Liver disease, malignant tumors, and Tuberculosis. This data is very similar to global data. It is well-known that patients with chronic Kidney and Liver disease have decreased immunity with increased proinflammatory mediators.

The increased proinflammatory mediators are known to cause deranged and increased inflammation, which might cause such patients to be susceptible to bacterial and viral infection. All these can lead to an increased risk of pulmonary inflammation and, thus, poor outcomes in such patients. Such patients have a slim chance of recovery and higher risk of mortality.

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“Further, as most of these patients belong to the older population, they also suffer from various comorbidities like heart disease and concurrent Diabetes, which puts them at a higher risk when compared to others. They might also have a deranged gut microbiome, which, when impacted, can cause havoc with digestion, and affect the immune system & many other aspects of health,” says Dr Sanjith Saseedharan, Consultant & Head Critical Care, SL Raheja Hospital, Mahim-A Fortis Associate.

If you do not have the protective bacterial flora that normal individuals have, it causes infections in sterile body cavities, the eyes, or non-intact skin. All the above factors put these patients at a higher risk of mortality and death when affected with COVID-19.

It is also important to note that in-hospital death reduces in these very patients by almost 50% if they are vaccinated. This means that vaccines do their job well even in this sick and debilitated population, so ensure you and your loved ones are vaccinated & take the booster shots as and when advised.