Frequency and Risk Factors for Acute Kidney Injury in patients with COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the frequency of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and its underlying risk factors in patients with Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).

METHODS

This retrospective study was conducted by reviewing the medical records of patients admitted in Covid-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Farooq Hospital, West Wood Branch, Lahore during the period from 1 April, 2020 to 30 June, 2020. COVID-19 was diagnosed on basis of Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) through nasal swab. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data were collected at the time of admission in the hospital. AKI was diagnosed on basis of ≥ 0.3 mg/dl increase in serum Creatinine (sCr) from baseline during the hospital stay. The outcome of study was AKI.

RESULTS

One hundred and seventy-six patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were recruited of which most were males (78.4%). The mean age was 51.26 ± 15.20 years and the frequency of AKI was 51.1%. The risk factors for AKI were increasing age (OR=2.10, =0.017); presence of COVID-19 symptoms (OR=6.62, =0.004); prolonged hospital stay (OR=2.26, =0.011); Diabetes Mellitus (OR=1.81, =0.057); hypoxemia (OR=5.98, =0.000); leukocytosis (OR=2.91, =0.002); lymphopenia (OR=5.77, =0.000); hypoalbuminemia (OR=4.94, =0.000); elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) (OR=6.20, =0.000) and raised D-diamers (OR=3.16, =0.000).

CONCLUSIONS

AKI was present in half of the COVID-19 patients. The most significant risk factors for AKI were increasing age, prolonged hospital stay, hypoxemia, hypoalbuminemia, DM and raised inflammatory markers.