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Multicenter Study
. 2021 May 31;22(1):202.
doi: 10.1186/s12882-021-02389-9.

Acute kidney injury in children with COVID-19: a retrospective study

Jameela Abdulaziz Kari #  1 , Mohamed A Shalaby #  2 , Amr S Albanna  3 , Turki S Alahmadi  4 , Adi Alherbish  5 , Khalid A Alhasan  5
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Acute kidney injury in children with COVID-19: a retrospective study

Jameela Abdulaziz Kari et al. BMC Nephrol. .

Abstract

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a complication of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The reported incidence of AKI, however, varies among studies. We aimed to evaluate the incidence of AKI and its association with mortality and morbidity in children infected with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) who required hospital admission.

Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study from three tertiary centers, which included children with confirmed COVID-19. All children were evaluated for AKI using the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) definition and staging.

Results: Of 89 children included, 19 (21 %) developed AKI (52.6 % stage I). A high renal angina index score was correlated with severity of AKI. Also, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) was increased in children with AKI compared to those with normal kidney function (15 % vs. 1.5 %). Patients with AKI had significantly more pediatric intensive care admissions (PICU) (32 % vs. 2.8 %, p < 0.001) and mortality (42 % vs. 0 %, p < 0.001). However, AKI was not associated with prolonged hospitalization (58 % vs. 40 %, p = 0.163) or development of MIS-C (10.5 % vs. 1.4 %, p = 0.051). No patient in the AKI group required renal replacement therapy. Residual renal impairment at discharge occurred in 9 % of patients. This was significantly influenced by the presence of comorbidities, hypotension, hypoxia, heart failure, acute respiratory distress, hypernatremia, abnormal liver profile, high C-reactive protein, and positive blood culture.

Conclusions: AKI occurred in one-fifth of children with SARS-CoV-2 infection requiring hospital admission, with one-third of those requiring PICU. AKI was associated with increased morbidity and mortality, and residual renal impairment at time of discharge.

Keywords: Acute Kidney Injury; COVID-19; Child; Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate changes among COVID-19 children admitted with and without acute kidney injury
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
COVID-19 related clinical outcomes associated with acute kidney injury
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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