Incidence and clinico-morphological forms of kidney injury in COVID-19

Today, COVID-19 remains one of the most urgent global challenges for physicians and scientists worldwide. The high infectivity and severe clinical course of the disease have become a serious test for the global healthcare system. According to the latest data from the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, more than 676 million COVID-19 cases have been recorded worldwide, with 6,881,955 deaths. Initially, the main target of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was considered to be lung tissue; however, it has been established that the virus can also affect other organs and systems. According to the International Society of Nephrology, kidney injury occurs in 25–50% of patients with severe COVID-19, manifesting as proteinuria and hematuria. In approximately 15% of cases, acute kidney injury develops.