COVID-19 and Genitourinary Tract: A Retrospective Study in the Tertiary Care Center

Introduction COVID-19 pandemic has spread across the globe in the last two years and COVID-19 pneumonia is its typical presentation. Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has the potential to affect extrapulmonary sites like the involvement of the urinary tract and male genital organs. Objectives This single institutional retrospective observational study aimed to study the effects of COVID-19 on the lower urinary tract (LUT) and male genital system. Methods COVID-19 effect on the genitourinary tract was studied in a retrospective observational setting in a tertiary care setting from March 2020 to December 2021 consisting of 110 patients. After informed consent from patients, retrospective data collection was included in a repository. Presenting features related to the genitourinary tract were noted and basic biochemical profiles like CBC, RFT, LFT, urine analysis, and urine culture for bacterial sensitivity were performed in all the patients affected by COVID-19. High-resolution ultrasound was sparingly used according to the clinical presentation of these COVID-19 patients. Results A total of 110 patients 95 males and 15 females were included in this study. De novo LUT symptoms were present in 10 (9.09%) patients and acute worsening of these was seen in three patients. Scrotal discomfort was the most common symptom among men found in five (5.26%) patients and frequency of urine was the overall most common symptom found in 13 (12.38%) patients also having two female patients. Among biochemical findings, microscopic hematuria in 68 (61.81%), pyuria in 72 (65.45%), and raised blood urea were observed in 41 (37.27%) patients with COVID-19. Ultrasound findings revealed acute epididymal-orchitis in 3 (3.15 %) and acute orchitis/epididymitis in one (1.05%) case, respectively. Conclusions COVID-19 patients do have the chance of developing the involvement of the urinary tract and male genital system and the clinicians should be aware of this so that they can manage these patients accordingly.