LAUSR

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) poses an unprecedented challenge to world health systems substantially increasing hospitalization and mortality rates in all affected countries. Being primarily a respiratory disease, COVID-19 is mainly associated with pneumonia or minor upper respiratory tract symptoms; however, different organs can sustain considerable (if not terminal) damage because of coronavirus. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is the most common complication of COVID-19-related pneumonia and more than 20% of patients requiring ventilatory support develop renal failure. Additionally, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major risk factor for COVID-19 severity and mortality. All these data demonstrate the relevance of renal function assessment in COVID-19 patients and the need of early kidney-directed diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. However, the sole assessment of renal function could be not entirely indicative of kidney tissue status. In this viewpoint, we argument about the clinical significance and the potential relevance of renal functional reserve evaluation in COVID-19 patients.