UCLA study: COVID-19 vaccinations may lessen severe kidney damage
A new study from UCLA Health suggests COVID-19 vaccines (pictured, 2022) may protect patients from severe kidney damage. The study found hospitalized COVID-19 patients were less like to have severe kidney damage if they were vaccinated. File Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI | License Photo
A new study from UCLA Health suggests COVID-19 vaccines may protect patients from severe kidney damage. The study found hospitalized COVID-19 patients were less likely to have severe kidney damage if they were vaccinated.
UCLA Health researchers found 16% of unvaccinated patients were more likely to need a constant dialysis therapy, compared with 11% of vaccinated patients.
The study data came from roughly 3,500 patients admitted to hospitals between March 2020 and March 2022.
Study lead author and UCLA nephrology professor Dr. Niloofar Nobakht said the continuous renal replacement therapy, or CRRT, form of dialysis is vital for intensive care patients with damaged kidneys.
The goal of the study was to asses the severity of kidney injury in COVID-19 patients needing CRRT while hospitalized.
According to University of Pennsylvania biostatistics professor Yong Chen, serious kidney complications are typically associated with severe COVID-19 cases.
Study participants had received at least two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccines or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine.
Yale University Dr. F. Perry Wilson said the main reason vaccinated people have lower kidney injury rates is the vaccines tend to lessen the chances of severe illness.
He said the vaccines don’t act directly on the kidneys, but instead reduce overall illness severity, which in turn helps to prevent complications such as multi-organ failure.