COVID-19 Vaccination Lowers Risk of Kidney Damage and Mortality in Patients with COVID-Related Kidney Injury
New research shows that COVID-19 vaccination significantly reduces the risk of long-term kidney damage and death in patients with COVID-related acute kidney injury, improving overall outcomes.
Recent research indicates that patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who developed acute kidney injury (AKI) and were vaccinated against COVID-19 tend to experience better health outcomes compared to unvaccinated counterparts. The study, to be published in the June 13, 2025, issue of Kidney Medicine, highlights that vaccinated patients are less likely to require prolonged dialysis after discharge and have higher survival rates.
Acute kidney injury is a common complication among COVID-19 patients, with incidence rates reaching as high as 46%. AKI can cause mild reductions in kidney function or, in severe cases, necessitate dialysis. However, long-term outcomes related to kidney function decline and mortality have been poorly understood until now.
The research was led by Dr. Niloofar Nobakht, a clinical associate professor of medicine in nephrology at UCLA. The team analyzed data from approximately 3,500 hospitalized COVID-19 patients between March 2020 and March 2022. Among these, 972 patients developed AKI, with 411 unvaccinated and 467 having received at least two doses of Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccines or one dose of Johnson & Johnson.
Findings revealed that 15.8% of unvaccinated patients required continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), a form of dialysis for critically ill patients, compared to 10.9% of vaccinated patients. Additionally, unvaccinated patients had 2.56 times higher odds of needing CRRT after discharge, 5.54 times higher risk of in-hospital death, and 4.78 times greater risk of long-term mortality.
Despite some limitations, such as missing baseline creatinine data and lack of COVID-19 severity metrics, these results underscore the protective benefits of COVID-19 vaccination. Dr. Nobakht emphasizes that vaccination can significantly reduce the likelihood of developing severe kidney complications and enhance long-term survival, highlighting the importance of discussing COVID-19 vaccination benefits with healthcare providers.
This study advocates for continued research to better understand COVID-19's effects on the kidney and improve strategies for managing kidney-related complications associated with the virus.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-vaccinated-patients-covid-kidney-injury.html
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