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Background: We aimed to study the characteristics of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients with Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), determine the short-term mortality and other medical complications, and delineate the factors associated with COVID-19 outcome. Methods: In this multicenter national study, we included PD patients with confirmed COVID-19 from 27 centers. The baseline demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological data and outcomes at the end of the first month were recorded. Results: We enrolled 142 COVID-19 patients (median age:52 years). 58.2% of patients had mild disease at diagnosis. Lung involvement was detected in 60.8% of patients. 83 (58.4%) patients were hospitalized, 31 (21.8%) patients were admitted to intensive care unit and 24 needed mechanical ventilation. 15 (10.5%) patients were switched to hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration was performed for four (2.8%) patients. Persisting pulmonary symptoms (n=27), lower respiratory system infection (n=12), rehospitalization for any reason (n=24), malnutrition (n=6), hypervolemia (n=13), peritonitis (n=7), ultrafiltration failure (n=7) and in PD modality change (n=8) were reported in survivors. 26 patients (18.31%) died in the first month of diagnosis. The non-survivor group was older, comorbidities were more prevalent. Fever, dyspnea, cough, serious-vital disease at presentation, bilateral pulmonary involvement, and pleural effusion were more frequent among non-survivors. Age (OR:1.102; 95%CI: 1.032-1.117; p: 0.004), moderate-severe clinical disease at presentation (OR:26.825; 95%CI: 4.578-157.172; p

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) are bone marrow derived or tissue-resident cells that play major roles in the maintenance of vascular integrity and repair of endothelial damage. Although EPCs may be capable of directly engrafting and regenerating the endothelium, the most important effects of EPCs seem to be depended on paracrine effects. In recent studies, specific microvesicles and mRNAs have been found to mediate the pro-angiogenic and regenerative effects of EPCs on endothelium. EPC counts have important prognostic implications in cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Uremia and inflammation are associated with lower EPC counts which probably contribute to increased CVD risks in patients with chronic kidney disease. Beneficial effects of the EPC therapies have been shown in studies performed on different models of CVD and kidney diseases such as acute and chronic kidney diseases and glomerulonephritis. However, lack of a clear definition and specific marker of EPCs is the most important problem causing difficulties in interpretation of the results of the studies investigating EPCs.