Epidemiology of kidney disease in patients with COVID-19

Abstract

At the turn of 2019–2020, humanity was struck by a new viral infection SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), which quickly spread in many countries and reached the scale of a pandemic. A feature of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) is it’s high contagiousness, virulence and tropism to many cells of human organs. Human infection primarily occurs through the respiratory tract. Then, getting into the respiratory divisions, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) can enter the blood and interact with cells of other organs. It is already known that COVID-19 uses the angiotensin converting enzyme type 2 (ACE2) receptor to enter the cell, and ACE2 is highly expressed in the kidneys. Therefore, kidney disease is a risk factor for COVID-19 infection, exacerbating the clinical course of the disease. This article discusses the main aspects of the etiology and pathogenesis of kidney diseases in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since there is currently no specific vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and there is no effective drug for the treatment of COVID-19, the identification of risk factors and early medical correction of kidney diseases can help reduce the overall incidence and mortality. Conclusion. Early detection and correction of violations of filtration and excretory function of the kidneys, including adequate hemodynamic support and restriction of nephrotoxic drugs, can improve the prognosis of recovery of a patient with COVID-19.