The lungs are the most commonly affected organ by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), but the kidneys are also frequently affected. Infection with SARS-CoV-2 can not only cause new kidney damage but also increase the difficulty of treatment and care as well as mortality for people with underlying kidney diseases. Kidney involvement in SARS-CoV-2 infection mainly manifests as kidney tubular injury. Proteinuria is the main clinical sign. To reduce patient mortality, kidney complications should be given increased attention in the diagnosis and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study reviews the existing literature and discusses COVID-19 infection in combination with kidney diseases in terms of kidney damage, pathogenesis, and treatment to guide clinical anti-epidemic responses.
Kidney involvement in COVID-19 and its treatments