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Frequency and clinical characteristics of kidney involvement in children with suspected COVID-19 infection: a single-center cross-sectional study

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Paper Summary

Paperzilla title
AKI in Hospitalized Kids with Suspected COVID-19: A Single-Center Snapshot

This single-center cross-sectional study found that 18.3% of hospitalized children with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 developed acute kidney injury (AKI). AKI was associated with more severe disease, gastrointestinal symptoms, and lab abnormalities like low platelets, high CRP, hypocalcemia, and hyperphosphatemia.

Explain Like I'm Five

In this study, some kids hospitalized with suspected COVID-19 also had kidney problems. Kids with kidney issues were sicker overall and had some tell-tale blood test changes.

Possible Conflicts of Interest

None identified

Identified Limitations

Cross-sectional design
Limits assessment of causality and kidney recovery, providing only a snapshot in time.
Lack of baseline creatinine
Makes it difficult to definitively diagnose AKI and assess its severity, relying on change from an undefined baseline.
Short observation window
Limits ability to classify AKI stages according to KDIGO criteria and fully understand the trajectory of kidney injury.
Single-center study
Limits generalizability of findings to other populations and healthcare settings.
Suspected COVID-19
Not all patients had confirmed COVID-19, potentially including other infections with similar presentations.

Rating Explanation

This study provides valuable descriptive data on AKI in hospitalized children with suspected COVID-19. However, the cross-sectional design, lack of baseline data, and short follow-up limit the ability to draw strong conclusions about causality or prognosis. The single-center nature also restricts generalizability. Overall, it's an average study with important limitations.

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Topic Hierarchy

Domain: Health Sciences
Field: Medicine
Subfield: Nephrology

File Information

Original Title: Frequency and clinical characteristics of kidney involvement in children with suspected COVID-19 infection: a single-center cross-sectional study
Uploaded: September 07, 2025 at 06:54 PM
Privacy: Public