Acute kidney injury in coronavirus disease 2019 patients: a game modifier

Abstract

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2. Most individuals affected by the virus will suffer mild to moderate respiratory symptoms and recover without the need for special care. However, acute kidney injury (AKI) was present in 0.5–25% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients and associated with poor prognosis. Among COVID-19 patients, hypovolemia and dehydration are common causes of AKI. AKI is the second most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 patients after acute respiratory distress syndrome. There are scarce studies about the incidence and outcomes of AKI in COVID-19 patients worldwide. Patients and methods This study aims at evaluating the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of AKI in COVID-19 patients. This study is a retrospective observational study conducted on 296 patients with a positive PCR test for COVID-19 admitted to the isolation unit in Suez Canal University Hospital, Egypt. Results AKI developed in 53.4% of COVID-19 patients. Moreover, critically ill COVID-19 patients in the ICU had a higher incidence of AKI compared with hospitalized patients. Furthermore, AKI incidence was significantly associated with higher age, presence of hypertension, or chronic kidney disease. Conclusion AKI developed in a considerable number of COVID-19 patients and was significantly associated with higher mortality.