Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with chronic kidney disease: A narrative review

Severe acute respiratory disease coronavirus 2 is currently causing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, placing extreme strain on the global health system. Vaccination is the main measure for preventing the COVID-19 epidemic, especially for high-risk groups including patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, CKD patients receiving dialysis or kidney transplant may be characterized by decreased renal function and immune disorders, which may have uncertainties in their health. This overview aims to introduce the possible impact of the COVID-19 vaccine on kidney disease and its application in patients with CKD to provide evidence for the COVID-19 vaccine in patients with CKD. The data for this study were collected from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database (CNKI). The following keywords were used: “COVID-19”, “COVID-19 vaccine,” and “CKD”. The publication time of the papers was set from the establishment of the databases to September 2021. A total of 47 studies were included, and patients with CKD are a high-risk group for COVID-19 infection and severe illness. Vaccination is a powerful tool for preventing CKD patients from COVID-19. Because of possible side effects, the recurrence or deterioration of kidney disease may occur in CKD patients after vaccination. Although vaccination for patients with CKD remains a problem, with the advantages outweighing the disadvantages, stable CKD patients should complete a vaccination plan, and doctors should be aware of the recurrence or deterioration of kidney disease and close monitoring. DATA ACCESS STATEMENT: Research data supporting this publication are available from the electronic databases of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database (CNKI).