ABSTRACT
Nephrotic syndrome is a condition characterized by damage to podocytes that results in significant proteinuria, edema, hyperlipidemia, and hypercoagulability. Infections and malignancies are frequently associated with nephrotic syndrome. The COVID-19 virus has been associated with several atypical presentations of upper respiratory infections and acute kidney injury. Considering that COVID-19 causes systemic inflammatory changes, it seems plausible that it may also lead to nephrotic syndrome. This study aimed to investigate if an association between COVID-19 and the different types of nephrotic syndromes exists. Data were extracted into a spreadsheet. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). We performed a systematic search of PubMed/Medline and Embase databases using both medical subject headings (MeSH) and regular keywords associated with COVID-19 and nephrotic syndrome, including different types of nephrotic syndromes. The search was performed on 17th December 2021. We included case reports and case series about adult patients who developed findings suggestive of nephrotic syndrome shortly after infection or vaccination. We excluded cases involving children, pregnant women, articles written in languages other than English, and those that were not retrievable. The relevance and quality of identified articles were assessed. We included 32 articles in the study, primarily case reports and case series. In our study, COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccine have been associated with the development of nephrotic syndrome, primarily a collapsing form of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, although other forms have been observed as well. There was little consistency in patient histories, clinical presentations, clinical courses, or treatment regimens, although it appeared that most cases eventually resolved. More cases need to be reported and analyzed before more definitive conclusions can be reached. In conclusion, nephrotic syndrome is a possible complication of both COVID-19 infection and the COVD-19 vaccine and should be considered in patients exhibiting sudden onset edemas or deterioration in kidney function. While the majority of cases respond to standard treatment, clearer guidelines will need to be developed once more data is available.
ABSTRACT
Nephrotic syndrome is a condition characterized by damage to podocytes that results in significant proteinuria, edema, hyperlipidemia, and hypercoagulability. Infections and malignancies are frequently associated with nephrotic syndrome. The COVID-19 virus has been associated with several atypical presentations of upper respiratory infections and acute kidney injury. Considering that COVID-19 causes systemic inflammatory changes, it seems plausible that it may also lead to nephrotic syndrome. This study aimed to investigate if an association between COVID-19 and the different types of nephrotic syndromes exists. Data were extracted into a spreadsheet. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). We performed a systematic search of PubMed/Medline and Embase databases using both medical subject headings (MeSH) and regular keywords associated with COVID-19 and nephrotic syndrome, including different types of nephrotic syndromes. The search was performed on 17th December 2021. We included case reports and case series about adult patients who developed findings suggestive of nephrotic syndrome shortly after infection or vaccination. We excluded cases involving children, pregnant women, articles written in languages other than English, and those that were not retrievable. The relevance and quality of identified articles were assessed. We included 32 articles in the study, primarily case reports and case series. In our study, COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccine have been associated with the development of nephrotic syndrome, primarily a collapsing form of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, although other forms have been observed as well. There was little consistency in patient histories, clinical presentations, clinical courses, or treatment regimens, although it appeared that most cases eventually resolved. More cases need to be reported and analyzed before more definitive conclusions can be reached. In conclusion, nephrotic syndrome is a possible complication of both COVID-19 infection and the COVD-19 vaccine and should be considered in patients exhibiting sudden onset edemas or deterioration in kidney function. While the majority of cases respond to standard treatment, clearer guidelines will need to be developed once more data is available.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been the most talked-about disease of the past few years. Patients with significant comorbidities have been at particular risk of adverse outcomes. This study looked at the outcomes and risk factors for adverse outcomes among patients on chronic hemodialysis for end-stage renal disease, a group of patients known to be particularly susceptible to infectious complications. AIM: To assess outcomes and risk factors for adverse outcomes of COVID-19 infection among patients on chronic hemodialysis. METHODS: We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Reference Citation Analysis (https://www.referencecitationanalysis.com/) and Web of Science databases for relevant terms and imported the results into the Covidence platform. From there, studies were assessed in two stages for relevance and quality, and data from studies that satisfied all the requirements were extracted into a spreadsheet. The data was then analyzed descriptively and statistically. RESULTS: Of the 920 studies identified through the initial database search, only 17 were included in the final analysis. The studies included in the analysis were mostly carried out during the first wave. We found that COVID-19 incidence among patients on hemodialysis was significant, over 10% in some studies. Those who developed COVID-19 infection were most likely going to be hospitalized, and over 1 in 5 died from the infection. Intensive care unit admission rate was lower than the infection lethality rate. Biochemical abnormalities and dyspnea were generally reported to be associated with adverse outcomes. CONCLUSION: This systematic review confirms that patients on chronic hemodialysis are very high-risk individuals for COVID-19 infections, and a significant proportion was infected during the first wave. Their prognosis is overall much worse than in the general population, and every effort needs to be made to decrease their exposure.
ABSTRACT
COVID 19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, a newly discovered coronavirus, has caused the global pandemic of early 2020. The first case was described in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and by March 2020, most countries around the world have put in place some of the strictest restrictions seen in decades in order to slow down the spread of the disease. Patients with pre-existing hypertension and cardiovascular comorbidities were reported to be at an increased risk of serious infections caused by SARS-CoV-2. Considering that those are among the most common chronic medical conditions in the Western world, the potential impact of it is huge. The proposed mechanism behind those associations is the expression of angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE II) in those patients. Furthermore, the association between ACE inhibitors/AR blockers, which are among the most frequently prescribed medications, and serious cases of COVID 19 has been studied with the same mechanism in mind. The reports on the association between hypertension and COVID 19 morbidity and mortality are less clear, and the International Society of Hypertension even claims that there is none. The reports on the association between heart failure or coronary disease and COVID 19 are more uniform, and all seem to point to a greater risk from serious infections faced by patients with those comorbidities. A significant effort will need to be invested by the scientific community into finding strategies for protecting those patients from contracting the virus in the first place and then, once infected, into developing management plans aimed at preserving cardiac function as much as possible.
ABSTRACT
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become the most talked-about clinical entity in early 2020. As an infection that spreads easily and has a significant mortality rate, it has caused global panic rarely seen before. Many of the measures taken by governments worldwide will have long-lasting impacts on the wellbeing of the population at large. It has been widely reported that the most vulnerable patients have been most negatively affected by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). In this study, we have tried to search the currently available data on the outcomes of infected cancer patients. Most of the data points to the very challenging nature of treating such patients. Their overall outcomes seem to be worse than in the general population, and it may be difficult to differentiate which potential complications are a result of the primary oncologic disease versus the infection. Management presents its own set of challenges, including but not limited to, deciding whether postponing cancer treatment until the infection resolves is going to benefit the patient and how to organize all aspects of patient care when social contact is as limited as it is for patients newly diagnosed with COVID-19. We believe that as more data becomes available, it is going to be necessary to publish detailed guidelines on how to approach this unique clinical challenge.