Insights into COVID-19 and Its Potential Implications for Kidney Dysfunction

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has had a significant impact on the world’s demographics, resulting in over 6 million deaths globally. COVID-19 has been associated with a variety of disease manifestations in various organ systems, including kidney disease, in addition to pulmonary manifestations. Infection with SARS-CoV-2 can not only cause new kidney damage but also make treatment and care more difficult, as well as increase mortality in people who already have kidney problems. COVID-19 is indeed associated with a variety of renal pathologies, such as acute tubular necrosis, proteinuria, hematuria, and thrombosis complications. Cytokine storms, hypoxemia, direct viral invasion via angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and cathepsin L, electrolyte imbalance, and fever are among the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these clinical symptoms. Over the last two years, many COVID-19 vaccines have been discovered. However, there have been a few case reports of AKI, AKD, proteinuria, edema, gross hematuria, and other renal side effects that necessitated hospitalization after receiving COVID-19 vaccinations. Thus, the current review aimed to evaluate COVID-19-induced kidney dysfunction in terms of clinical features, pathogenesis, long-term outcomes, and vaccine harms based on the most up-to-date findings.