APOL1 Risk Variants and Acute Kidney Injury in Black Americans with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Black Americans have a higher incidence of kidney disease compared with populations that do not have recent African ancestry. Two risk variants in the APOL1 are responsible for a portion of this higher risk. We sought to assess the odds of AKI conferred by APOL1 risk alleles in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: Black Americans who tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were genotyped to determine APOL1 risk allele status. We assessed the incidence of AKI, persistent AKI, and AKI requiring KRT within 21 days of the PCR-based diagnosis. Outcomes were adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, hypertension, eGFR, and use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker. RESULTS: In total, 126 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were included within a 5-month period, with 16 (13%) and 110 (87%) cases with two and zero/one APOL1 high-risk alleles, respectively. AKI occurred in 11 (69%) patients with two APOL1 high-risk alleles and 39 (35%) patients with zero/one high-risk alleles (adjusted odds ratio, 4.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.11 to 17.52; P=0.04). Persistent AKI occurred in eight (50%) patients with two APOL1 high-risk alleles and 21 (19%) of those with zero/one high-risk alleles (adjusted odds ratio, 3.53; 95% confidence interval, 1.8 to 11.57; P=0.04). AKI KRT occurred in four (25%) of those with two APOL1 high-risk alleles and eight (7%) of those with zero/one high-risk alleles (adjusted odds ratio, 4.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.02 to 24.4, P=0.05). CONCLUSIONS: APOL1 high-risk alleles are associated with greater odds of AKI in Black American patients with COVID-19.

De Novo Immunoglobulin A Vasculitis Following Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 Immunization.

Background: Immunizations have been previously described as potential triggering events for the development of certain glomerular diseases. However, glomerular disease occurrences are being reported after exposure to a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine. Case Report: A 50-year-old male presented to a nephrology clinic for evaluation of persistent proteinuria. Six weeks prior to evaluation, the patient had reported developing a rash 2 weeks after receiving the first dose of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (BNT162b2 mRNA, Pfizer, Inc). His primary care provider treated the rash with corticosteroids, leading to partial improvement of the skin lesions. Three weeks after the first vaccine injection, the patient received his scheduled second vaccine injection. Within 2 days, the rash reappeared. This time, the lesions were more severe in nature. Skin biopsy revealed immunoglobulin A (IgA)-dominant leukocytoclastic vasculitis. After the patient completed 2 weeks of oral corticosteroids, urinalysis revealed proteinuria, and consultation with nephrology was requested. On examination, healing papules were noted on his legs. Serum creatinine 2 weeks after the second dose of vaccine was 0.9 mg/dL. Microscopic examination of the urinary sediment revealed acanthocytes. Urine protein to creatinine ratio 3 weeks after the second dose of vaccine was 1.1 g/day. Serum complements were normal, and all pertinent serology was negative. Kidney biopsy findings were consistent with IgA nephropathy. Conclusion: The clinical presentation and pathologic findings in this case strongly suggest that the Pfizer SARS-CoV-2 vaccine can trigger a clinical syndrome compatible with Henoch-Schönlein purpura. The recurrence of the rash following the second dose argues for a definite causal association by the Naranjo criteria.