Acute kidney injury in moderate and severe COVID-19 patients: Report of two university hospitals

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most severe complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In a retrospective study, we aimed to describe the influence of COVID-19-related factors on the severity, outcome and timing of AKI in 268 patients admitted in two large COVID-19-designated university hospitals over a period of 6 months. In the univariate analysis, there was a significant relationship between KDIGO stage and the extension of COVID-19 pneumonia on computed tomography (CT), need for oxygen supplementation, serum levels of ferritin, interleukin-6, and procalcitonin, but none of these variables had a value for predicting KDIGO stage in multinomial regression. The odds of recovery of renal function were significantly diminished by d-dimer values. Lack of immunomodulatory treatment was found to be correlated with increased need for renal replacement therapy (RRT). Compared with AKI at admission, hospital-acquired AKI was predicted by the severity of lung damage on CT, evolved more frequently with incomplete recovery of renal function, and was significantly associated with antiviral therapy.