Jewell PD, Bramham K, Galloway J, et al. - The epidemiology, risk factors and outcomes of acute kidney injury (AKI) were investigated in patients with COVID-19 in a large UK tertiary center.

• Among a total of 1,248 included inpatients, 487 (39%) experienced AKI (51% stage 1, 13% stage 2, and 36% stage 3).

• There appeared a gradual increase in the weekly AKI incidence rate to peak at week 5 (3.12 cases/100 patient-days), before reducing to its nadir (0.83 cases/100 patient-days) at the end the study period (week 10).

• Renal function recovered to preadmission levels before discharge in 84.0% among AKI survivors, and on-going renal replacement therapy (RRT) was not required in any of the survivors.

• A higher risk for AKI was observed in independent correlation with preexisting renal impairment, and inpatient diuretic use.

• Findings revealed a strong predictive value of AKI for 30-day mortality with an increasing risk across AKI stages.

• A third of AKI3 survivors (30.7%) exhibited newly established renal impairment already at 3–6 months.