COVID-19 and Kidney Involvement – A Systematic Review

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It has resulted in an ongoing worldwide pandemic since it was first recognized in December 2019. The kidney is one of the organs most easily affected by COVID-19. The injury of the kidney by COVID-19 manifested as hematuria, proteinuria, serum creatinine fluctuations, and even acute kidney injury (AKI). Critically ill patients with COVID-19 are much more prone to suffer from AKI. Moreover, AKI is related to poor outcomes in the patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, early detection and active prevention of kidney injury are very important. In this article, we reviewed the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, pathogenesis, pathological manifestations, treatment, and prognosis of kidney injury in patients with COVID-19. It is expected to provide valuable insights for disease prevention and control from the perspective of nephrologists.