Incidence and Clinical Outcomes of COVID‐19 in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients in Libya: A Prospective Descriptive Study

Hemodialysis patients are at a greater risk of severe disease from COVID-19. Of the 600 maintenance hemodialysis patients who were regular attendees at the Tripoli Hemodialysis Center in Tripoli, Libya, 12 patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The patients' ages ranged from 48 to 80 years. Three were female (25%), and four (33.3%) reported prior contact with a confirmed case. The most common symptoms were fever (66.7%), dry cough (66.7%), dyspnea (91.7%), and fatigue (83.3%). Chest computed tomography revealed radiological features consistent with COVID-19 pneumonia, including ground-glass opacities and pulmonary consolidation in all patients. Four of the patients died (33.3%). COVID-19 represents a significant comorbidity in maintenance hemodialysis patients and is associated with a notably high mortality rate. In the absence of specific operational guidelines, tailored protocols should be developed, or existing guidelines-such as those from the CDC-should be adapted to fit the local healthcare context.