Los Angeles: A new study by UCLA Health suggests that COVID-19 vaccination may protect against severe kidney complications in hospitalized patients. Researchers reviewed electronic medical records of over 3,500 adults hospitalized for COVID between March 2020 and March 2022.
They found that vaccinated individuals were significantly less likely to suffer from acute kidney failure requiring intensive dialysis treatment, known as CRRT (continuous renal replacement therapy).
According to lead author Dr. Niloofar Nobakht, vaccinated patients had a 5% lower rate of CRRT during hospitalization (11% versus 16%). More strikingly, unvaccinated patients were over two-and-a-half times more likely to need this dialysis treatment after discharge and had higher mortality risks as well.
CRRT is typically used in critical care when the kidneys fail to function, highlighting how COVID can seriously affect multiple organs, including the kidneys. However, experts clarified that the vaccine does not directly protect the kidneys—it prevents severe illness that might otherwise lead to kidney failure. “Vaccines blunt the severity of systemic illness, which reduces the chance of multi-organ failure,” explained Dr. Yong Chen of the University of Pennsylvania.
Despite promising findings, limitations remain. According to Yale’s Dr. Scott Roberts, the study lacked complete data on participants’ kidney function before infection, which could influence the results.
Experts also noted that both the virus and vaccines may trigger complications in people with pre-existing kidney diseases, such as glomerulonephritis. In rare cases, flare-ups have been observed following both infection and vaccination.
Children, though not included in this study, are also at risk. Research shows that kids with prior COVID-19 infection face a 35% increased risk of developing chronic kidney disease within six months.
Experts agree that the vaccine helps reduce Covid’s severity, indirectly lowering the risks of severe kidney damage, which is especially critical as new variants emerge.
