Covid-19 Attacks Kidneys, Claims New Study

According to a new study, Covid-19 causes damage to the kidneys. Experts have warned that Covid-19 patients with kidney problems need to be a bit more conscious as coronavirus may cause damage to their kidneys even though the main effect of the virus is on cardiovascular diseases or lungs. Experts believe that individuals who develop Covid-19 experience kidney damage or acute kidney injury (AKI), which is also referred to as acute renal failure (ARF).

Shedding light on the same, Deepak Kalra, Additional Director-Nephrology, Fortis Hospital, New Delhi stated that kidneys get affected in Covid-19 cases with severe infection. He also informed that it can further cause acute kidney injury in about 10 to 20% of hospitalized patients.

The study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, showed that in coronavirus patients, acute kidney injury was uncommon, however, it was linked with a high risk of in-hospital mortality. According to the researchers, the in-hospital mortality rate was 10% in patients without acute kidney injury as compared to 72% in patients with acute kidney injury.

Experts suggest that novel coronavirus directly attacks immunity and organs which adds to the same severity of the virus-borne disease and seriousness of the disease itself. Moreover, every kidney patient should be given complete care and prevention from infection of every kind.

The factors related with a higher risk of AKI include severe novel coronavirus disease, low blood levels of certain immune cells, high blood levels of creatinine (an indicator of kidney dysfunction), and high blood levels of a protein fragment indicative of elevated blood clot formation as well as breakdown.