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Published on: April 12, 2021
Using National COVID cohort collaborative (N3C) data to explore impact of COVID-19 infection on kidney function in
Yujia Tian1, Anastasia K Yocum2, Jinju Li3
1Department of Learning Health Sciences, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Insights
Lithium treatment and COVID-19 infection did not significantly impact kidney function in patients. This study investigated the effects of lithium and SARS-CoV-2 on kidney health using eGFR.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Psychiatry
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Lithium is a key treatment for bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD).
- Concerns arose during the COVID-19 pandemic regarding lithium's potential nephrotoxicity in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients.
- Existing research on lithium's renal effects, especially post-COVID-19, requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between lithium exposure, SARS-CoV-2 infection, and kidney dysfunction.
- To assess the impact of combined lithium treatment and COVID-19 on kidney function using estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).
Main Methods:
- Utilized the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) dataset.
- Analyzed patient data from March 1, 2021, to September 30, 2022.
- Compared kidney function (eGFR) between patients with and without SARS-CoV-2 infection, considering lithium exposure.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in kidney function (eGFR) were observed between the groups.
- The study found no significant impact of lithium treatment combined with COVID-19 on kidney function.
Conclusions:
- The combined effects of lithium treatment and COVID-19 on kidney function appear to be non-significant.
- Findings align with the majority of existing studies, suggesting lithium's safety profile regarding kidney health is maintained even with SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Abstract:
Lithium is a drug primarily used to treat psychiatric disorders and has shown significant efficacy in treating bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). Although lithium can stabilize emotional fluctuations and prevent the onset of depressive and manic episodes, case reports of patients treated with lithium developing kidney dysfunction after being infected with SARS-CoV-2 emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) dataset to investigate the relationship between patients with lithium exposure and with SAR-Co-V-2 infection, and kidney dysfunction. Using data from March 1, 2021, to September 30, 2022, patients were classified as whether they were infected with SARS-CoV-2. We used the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) to observe whether there are significant differences between the two groups. Our findings suggest that the impact of lithium treatment and COVID-19 on kidney function may not be significant, consistent with most other studies' findings.
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