Evaluation of Kidney Function in Patients with COVID-19 Hospitalized in Imam Khomeini Hospital, Sari, Iran

Background: The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has become a worldwide health problem since December 2019. This disease mainly targets the respiratory system, but it may also damage other organs of the patient's body, such as the kidney. Objectives: The main aim of the present study was to determine kidney function in patients with COVID-19 admitted to Imam Khomeini Hospital, Sari, Iran. Methods: The current study was cross-sectional type and its statistical sample included 498 patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in Imam Khomeini Hospital in Sari, Iran. To conduct this study, the required information including demographic, clinical and laboratory information of the patients was received and then recorded in the researcher-made checklist. Patients were evaluated in three stages (the beginning of the study, the third day of hospitalization and the sixth day of hospitalization). Finally, the result obtained for each of the aforementioned steps was recorded. Results: The results showed that 49.6% (247 people) of the evaluated patients were women and 50.4% (251 people) were men. Based on the results, the average age of the patients was 55.2 years. Among kidney disorders, chronic kidney disease (CKD) had the highest frequency (25.9%). According to kidney disease: Improving global outcomes (KDIGO), 12.9% of patients had acute kidney injury (AKI). The presence of kidney disease and the development of AKI had significant relationship with the need for intensive care unit (ICU) (P < 0.05). The results showed that although initially there was a significant relationship between kidney disease and ICU transfer (P < 0.05), but after removing the effect of age and gender variables, this relationship was not significant (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Based on the results of the present study, it can be concluded that underlying diseases such as kidney failure can be very effective in contracting COVID as well as increasing its severity, so it is necessary to take preventive measures and take special care of these patients.