Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors of COVID-19-Related Kidney Injury: A Single-Center, Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: The kidney is a possible target organ that can be infected by SARS-CoV-2. Clinical characteristics and management of patients with COVID-19-related kidney injury have not been well described. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study, recruiting inpatients with confirmed COVID-19 from the Sino-French branch of Tongji Hospital between Mar 9, 2020, and Mar 17, 2020. Demographic, clinical, treatment, and laboratory data were collected and compared between sCr elevated group and sCr normal group. We used univariable and multivariable logistic regression methods to identify the risk factors associated with COVID-19-related kidney injury. Findings: Of the patients in our study, 21(18·1%) were observed with elevated sCr, 12(10·3%) were was recognized as kidney injury, including 5(4·3%) in-hospital AKI. Multivariable regression showed increasing odds of COVID-19-related kidney injury associated with clinical classification (OR=8·155, 95% CI=1·848-35·983, ref=non-critical, p=0·06), procalcitonin more than 0·1 ng/mL (OR=4·822, 95% CI=1·095-21·228, p=0·037), and eGFR less than 60 mL/min/1·73m2 (OR=13·451, 95% CI=1·617-111·891, p=0·016). Interpretation: Patients with COVID-19 presented varying degrees of renal injury. The potential risk factors of clinical classification, procalcitonin, and eGFR could help clinicians to identify patients with kidney injury at an early stage, and renal function could be recovered after active and effective intervention. Funding Statement: National Natural Science Foundation of China (No: 31570988).Declaration of Interests: All other authors declare no competing interests.Ethics Approval Statement: The study protocol and written informed consent were approved by the Medical Ethics Committee (No. TJ-C20200155), and COVID - 19 Academic Committee of Tongji Hospital.