Renal function impairment might be worsened by SARS-CoV-2 virus: a triple critical care disease causing hypoxemia

People who have underlying chronic renal disease may be more susceptible to the catastrophic disease caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is characterized by multisystem organ failure, thrombosis, and an aggravated inflammatory response.

On 11 July 2022, a middle-aged black African male merchant, 57 was taken to the emergency room. The patient arrived at the emergency room with grade II pitting edema, weight loss, a cold intolerance, stress, a fever, a headache, dehydration, and shortness of breath that had persisted for 2 days. After 28 h, the results of the polymerase chain reaction test on a throat swab confirmed the presence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 virus. An auscultation of the chest revealed bilateral wheezing, crepitations in the right infrascapular region, and bilateral airspace consolidations, which were more pronounced on the left side and included practically all zones. He received 1000 ml of fluid resuscitation (0.9% normal saline) and insulin therapy through a drip as soon as he was admitted to an ICU. He received subcutaneous enoxaparin 80 mg once every 12 h as treatment for his confirmed COVID-19 and thromboprophylaxis.

The COVID-19 infection can cause difficulties in infected individuals that can result in pneumonia, intubation, admission to an ICU, and even death. Common diseases, including diabetes mellitus and chronic renal disease, have a synergistic relationship with early death.

The existence of prior chronic renal impairment may possibly be a factor in the increased prevalence of kidney involvement seen in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.