Infection prevention measures for patients on hemodialysis during COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: a nationwide questionnaire follow-up survey in 2022

Background Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to be prevalent in 2023, and infection control measures against it remain important in medical practice. In 2020, we conducted a questionnaire survey mainly on the implementation of infection prevention measures for patients on hemodialysis under COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. Since then, vaccination for COVID-19 has been initiated and the outbreak of new variants had occurred. Infection prevention measures at dialysis facilities have possibly changed; therefore, we conducted a follow-up survey.Methods Between October 11 and November 14, 2022, we distributed a questionnaire survey to 4,198 dialysis facilities in Japan. The survey investigated (i) the characteristics of the facilities, (ii) infection prevention measures in routine dialysis practice, (iii) experience in treating COVID-19-positive/suspected dialysis patients, (iv) feasibility of various isolation measures, (v) nosocomial transmission, (vi) COVID-19 vaccination status, and (vii) impact on medical practice and economic aspects. We then compared the answers from the previous survey conducted in 2020 with those of the current survey.Results Responses were obtained from 1956 facilities (response rate: 46.6%). Overall, 83.5% of the facilities have examined and treated patients with COVID-19. While the compliance rate improved since the previous survey, it remained low for some factors such as linen exchange. More than 60% of the facilities reported that they were coping with a lack of manpower and space for isolation. Most patients at the surveyed facilities were vaccinated for COVID-19; only 2.8% were unvaccinated. Compared with unvaccinated patients, vaccinated patients had a lower infection rate (vaccinated 9.2% vs. unvaccinated 41.2%; crude risk ratio [RR] 0.22; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.22-0.23; p < 0.001) and mortality rates (vaccinated 0.3% vs. unvaccinated 6.6%; crude RR 0.05; 95% CI 0.04-0.06; p < 0.001).Conclusion The implementation rates of most of the infection prevention measures improved compared to those in the previous survey. However, labor shortages, lack of space, and problems coordinating with other medical facilities remain a challenge. COVID-19 vaccination was significantly associated with reduced infection and mortality in Japanese patients on hemodialysis, which should be confirmed by further studies with confounding adjustment.