Prognostic Significance of Urinary Biomarkers in Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19

the TRIKIC Consortium Investigators

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Rationale & Objective: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and associated with poor outcomes. Urinary biomarkers have been associated with adverse kidney outcomes in other settings and may provide additional prognostic information in patients with COVID-19. We investigated the association between urinary biomarkers and adverse kidney outcomes among patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting & Participants: Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (n = 153) at 2 academic medical centers between April and June 2020. Exposure: 19 urinary biomarkers of injury, inflammation, and repair. Outcome: Composite of KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) stage 3 AKI, requirement for dialysis, or death within 60 days of hospital admission. We also compared various kidney biomarker levels in the setting of COVID-19 versus other common AKI settings. Analytical Approach: Time-varying Cox proportional hazards regression to associate biomarker level with composite outcome. Results: Out of 153 patients, 24 (15.7%) experienced the primary outcome. Twofold higher levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) (HR, 1.34 [95% CI, 1.14-1.57]), monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP-1) (HR, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.09-1.84]), and kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1) (HR, 2.03 [95% CI, 1.38-2.99]) were associated with highest risk of sustaining primary composite outcome. Higher epidermal growth factor (EGF) levels were associated with a lower risk of the primary outcome (HR, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.47-0.79]). Individual biomarkers provided moderate discrimination and biomarker combinations improved discrimination for the primary outcome. The degree of kidney injury by biomarker level in COVID-19 was comparable to other settings of clinical AKI. There was evidence of subclinical AKI in COVID-19 patients based on elevated injury biomarker level in patients without clinical AKI defined by serum creatinine. Limitations: Small sample size with low number of composite outcome events. Conclusions: Urinary biomarkers are associated with adverse kidney outcomes in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and may provide valuable information to monitor kidney disease progression and recovery.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)257-267.e1
JournalAmerican Journal of Kidney Diseases
Volume79
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2022

Keywords

  • Acute kidney injury (AKI)
  • COVID-19 prognosis
  • chronic kidney disease (CKD)
  • coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
  • death
  • dialysis
  • epidermal growth factor (EGF)
  • inflammatory marker
  • kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1)
  • monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1)
  • neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL)
  • severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
  • subclinical AKI
  • tubular injury
  • urinalysis
  • urinary biomarkers
  • urine microscopy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Nephrology

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