The novel coronavirus disease in patients with end-stage kidney disease

The novel coronavirus disease outbreak started in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and has since spread rapidly worldwide. As almost all patients with end-stage kidney disease have been treated with hemodialysis in Japan, they have a higher risk of infection than the healthy population. Moreover, the complications of renal failure, such as hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, appear to be a risk factor of death owing to novel coronavirus disease. The reported morbidity and mortality rates of novel coronavirus disease are significantly higher in dialysis patients than in the healthy population. No treatment for novel coronavirus disease has yet been developed; thus, countermeasures to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease in dialysis facilities must be rapidly established. The latest findings on novel coronavirus disease in patients with end-stage kidney disease and the guidelines for countermeasures against the spread of novel coronavirus disease worldwide are summarized in this review.