Introduction: Initial studies indicate that around 30% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients experience acute kidney injury (AKI).
Objective: This research explores the predictive value of renal sonographic indices such as renal arterial resistive index (RRI) and pulsatility index (PI) in forecasting AKI.
Material and Method: The cohort study took place from September 2021 to April 2022, with 140 COVID-19 patients in the ICU. Over 6 months, patients’ urine output and creatinine levels were monitored to assess AKI incidence. Renal sonographic indices (RRI and PI) were measured in both kidneys using color-doppler ultrasound upon ICU admission. Patients were split into case and control groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate RRI and PI as AKI predictors, alongside other risk factors.
Results: Patients at case group had substantially higher odds of developing AKI compared to control group. For each unit increase in the mean of kidneys’ PI (left/right), the odds of developing AKI decreased significantly. The other factors, including sex, age group, diabetes, hypertension, and smoking status, did not show statistically significant associations with AKI (P>0.05).
Conclusions: The results highlight the importance of RRI and PI as non-invasive and valuable indicators for predicting the development of AKI in COVID-19 patients. Monitoring of these renal sonographic indices can help to early identification and management of kidney-related complications in critically ill patients.