Investigation of COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Early Side Effects of COVID-19 Vaccine in Hemodialysis Patients

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccines and the frequency of side effects in hemodialysis patients. Methods: Patients receiving regular hemodialysis treatment were included in the study. Patients were asked for their opinions about whether they should have the COVID-19 vaccine. It was recorded which side effects were seen in patients who had received the COVID-19 vaccine. Results: Ninety-two patients who received hemodialysis treatment were evaluated, and 92.4% of them expressed a positive opinion about the COVID-19 vaccine. Patients who were not vaccinated for COVID-19 reported that they were not vaccinated because they thought the vaccine was ineffective. The mean age of patients who did not want to be vaccinated for COVID-19 was lower (P = .019). Among patients who experienced side effects after at least one of the vaccines, and patients who experienced side effects after the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the frequency of side effects was significantly higher in those who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (P = .001 and P = .001). When the first dose, second dose, and 2 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were evaluated together, the relationship between increasing age and the decrease in the frequency of side effects was significant (P = .00, P = .001, and P = .015). Conclusion: The vaccination rate against COVID-19 was high in hemodialysis patients, and the most common reason for vaccine opposition was the thought that the vaccine was ineffective. In addition, the frequency of side effects was lower, it was observed that the side effects decreased with age, and the side effects were more frequent in mRNA. © 2023 Turkish Society of Nephrology. All rights reserved.