About this Research Topic
COVID-19 currently affects over 14 million people worldwide and has caused over 600,000 deaths since it was first reported in Wuhan, China. Although it is mainly a respiratory pathogen, acute and chronic SARS-CoV-2-related kidney injuries are now a well-established potential development of the infection with relevant consequences both in the native and transplant setting. Kidney involvement in SARS-CoV-2 disease is common, and its clinical presentation may range from mild proteinuria to acute kidney injury (AKI). SARS-CoV-2 nephropathy has been reported in healthy children, adults, and renal transplant recipients.
The most common features include acute kidney injury, tubular-interstitial damage, proteinuria, and/or hematuria. Indeed, more than 40% of COVID-19 hospitalized patients have presented laboratory evidence of kidney injury (i.e., albuminuria, proteinuria, hematuria, increased creatinine and BUN, and reduced eGFR), eventually leading to acute kidney injury and requiring kidney replacement therapy.
The exact mechanism of kidney involvement is unclear and probably multifactorial. SARS-CoV-2 could directly damage tubular epithelial cells, and podocytes due to a specific kidney tropism through the Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) receptors, present in high concentrations in the kidney or indirectly trigger a cytokine storm associated with multi-organ failure and thrombotic event.
In this setting, correctly identifying COVID-19-related morphologic features of kidney involvement will prove crucial for patient clinical management. Kidney biopsy performed during COVID-19 allows identifying a subset of morphological findings related to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
This research topic aims to increase the diagnostic awareness of the main clinical, epidemiological, social, histopathological, ultrastructural, and molecular findings of renal allograft injury associated with SARS-CoV-2 and to develop and improve the timely clinical and social management of these conditions.
We welcome original research, case reports/series, review articles, and opinion/perspective pieces on:
• Kidney transplantation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• COVID-19-associated kidney injury.
• Kidney histopathological manifestations in association with COVID-19 infection.
• Kidney ultrastructural manifestations in association with COVID-19 infection.
• Mechanisms of COVID‑19‑induced kidney injury.
• The spectrum of kidney injury following COVID-19 disease.
• COVID-19–Associated Glomerular and tubular disease.
• Regulation of immunosuppression during COVID-19 infection in renal allograft recipients.
• Current SARS-COV2 pharmacotherapies.
The most common features include acute kidney injury, tubular-interstitial damage, proteinuria, and/or hematuria. Indeed, more than 40% of COVID-19 hospitalized patients have presented laboratory evidence of kidney injury (i.e., albuminuria, proteinuria, hematuria, increased creatinine and BUN, and reduced eGFR), eventually leading to acute kidney injury and requiring kidney replacement therapy.
The exact mechanism of kidney involvement is unclear and probably multifactorial. SARS-CoV-2 could directly damage tubular epithelial cells, and podocytes due to a specific kidney tropism through the Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) receptors, present in high concentrations in the kidney or indirectly trigger a cytokine storm associated with multi-organ failure and thrombotic event.
In this setting, correctly identifying COVID-19-related morphologic features of kidney involvement will prove crucial for patient clinical management. Kidney biopsy performed during COVID-19 allows identifying a subset of morphological findings related to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
This research topic aims to increase the diagnostic awareness of the main clinical, epidemiological, social, histopathological, ultrastructural, and molecular findings of renal allograft injury associated with SARS-CoV-2 and to develop and improve the timely clinical and social management of these conditions.
We welcome original research, case reports/series, review articles, and opinion/perspective pieces on:
• Kidney transplantation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• COVID-19-associated kidney injury.
• Kidney histopathological manifestations in association with COVID-19 infection.
• Kidney ultrastructural manifestations in association with COVID-19 infection.
• Mechanisms of COVID‑19‑induced kidney injury.
• The spectrum of kidney injury following COVID-19 disease.
• COVID-19–Associated Glomerular and tubular disease.
• Regulation of immunosuppression during COVID-19 infection in renal allograft recipients.
• Current SARS-COV2 pharmacotherapies.
Keywords: COVID-19, Kidney Allograft, SARS-CoV-2, Histopathology, Renal pathology, Kidney Injury, Epidemiology, mortality, Graft survival, Kidney biopsy, Glomerular disease, Inflammation, Coronavirus, Glomerulonephritis, Podocytopathy, Collapsing glomerulopathy
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
