Effect of Electrolyte Imbalance on Mortality and Late Acute Kidney Injury in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

Tahereh Sabaghian, Mohamadjavad Honarvar, Seyed Amir Ahmad Safavi-Naini

  • 1Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Center, Imam Hossein Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran. hhatamabadi@yahoo.com.

Insights

Electrolyte imbalances like hyponatremia and hypernatremia significantly worsen COVID-19 prognosis, increasing mortality and acute kidney injury risk. Monitoring and correcting these imbalances are crucial for hospitalized patients.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Critical Care Medicine

Background:

  • Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a multisystem illness impacting various organs.
  • Electrolyte imbalance (EI) is a common complication in hospitalized patients, potentially affecting COVID-19 outcomes.
  • The interplay between EI, renal dysfunction, and COVID-19 prognosis requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of electrolyte imbalance on the prognosis of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
  • To determine the association between specific electrolyte abnormalities and outcomes such as acute kidney injury (AKI) and in-hospital mortality.
  • To identify electrolyte imbalances that serve as independent risk factors for poor COVID-19 prognosis.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 499 hospitalized COVID-19 patients without prior chronic kidney disease.
  • Collection of demographic data, laboratory values, and outcomes from hospital information systems.
  • Assessment of serum electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus) on admission and during hospitalization, with multivariate analyses to adjust for confounders.

Main Results:

  • AKI occurred in 33.7% and mortality in 18.4% of patients.
  • Hyponatremia and hypernatremia on admission were significantly associated with increased mortality.
  • Hyponatremia and hyperphosphatemia on admission were linked to the development of late AKI.

Conclusions:

  • Specific electrolyte imbalances, including hyponatremia, hypernatremia, hyperkalemia, and hyperphosphatemia, are associated with poor COVID-19 prognosis.
  • Physicians should closely monitor and correct electrolyte disturbances in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
  • Early identification and management of EI can potentially improve outcomes in COVID-19 patients.
Abstract

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