Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) complicates a substantial part of patients withCOVID-19. Direct viral penetration of renal cells through the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 receptor, and indirect damage by the aberrant inflammatory response characteristic of COVID-19 are likely mechanisms. Nevertheless, other common respiratory viruses such as Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) are also associated with AKI. We retrospectively compared the incidence, risk factors and outcomes of AKI among patients who were admitted to a tertiary hospital because of infection withCOVID-19, influenza (A + B) or RSV. We collected data of 2593 patients hospitalized withCOVID-19, 2041patients with influenza and 429 withRSV. Patients affected byRSV were older, had more comorbidities and presented with higher rates of AKI at admission and within 7 days (11.7% vs. 13.3% vs. 18% for COVID-19, influenza and RSV, respectively p = 0.001). Nevertheless, patients hospitalized withCOVID-19 had higher mortality (18% with COVID-19vs. 8.6% and 13.5% forinfluenza and RSV, respectively P < 0.001) and higher need ofmechanical ventilation (12.4% vs. 6.5% vs.8.2% for COVID-19, influenza and RSV, respectively, P = 0.002). High ferritin levels and low oxygen saturation were independent risk factors for severe AKI only in the COVID-19 group. AKI in the first 48h of admission and in the first 7 days of hospitalization were strong independent risk factors for adverse outcome in all groups. Despite many reports of direct kidney injury by SARS-COV-2, AKI was less in patients with COVID-19 compared to influenza and RSV patients. AKI was a prognostic marker for adverse outcome across all viruses.
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