Therapeutic dilemmas in dialysis patients hospitalized for COVID-19: balancing between nihilism, off-label treatment and side effects

Abstract

Avoiding the use of drugs in patients with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR)<30 mL/min/1.73m2 is due to the exclusion of this group of patients from many clinical trials. However, in view of the widespread COVID-19 pandemic and the need to treat all patients, including those with renal failure, the World Health Organization points out in the Solidarity trial the need for the inclusion some patients with kidney failure and recognizes the urgent need for trials/studies in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with lower GFR. It is well known that the therapeutic goal to treat patients with renal failure, acute kidney injury or on maintenance dialysis is complicated by pharmacokinetics, drug interactions and extracorporeal therapies. In patients with COVID-19 and impaired kidney function, the role of nephrologists is crucial in order to draw a balance between nihilism and benefits or potentially harmful effects of current available treatments. The potential use of European Medicines Agency recommended remdesivir and dexamethasone for COVID-19 among dialysis patients are discussed.