Study supports vaccination for COVID-19 in patients with glomerular diseases

Among 2,055 adults with a wide range of glomerular diseases, the COVID-19 vaccination did not adversely affect kidney function or worsen kidney damage and appeared safe in this population.

Patients with glomerular disease (GN) may be at increased risk of severe COVID-19, yet concerns over vaccines causing disease relapse may lead to vaccine hesitancy. Researchers examined the associations of COVID-19 with longitudinal kidney function and proteinuria and compared these to similar associations with COVID-19 vaccination. In this cohort study of 2,055 patients with minimal change disease (MCD), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), membranous nephropathy, or IgA nephropathy (IgAN), COVID-19 resulted in hospitalization or death for 1 in 8 cases and was associated with a 35% increase in risk for worsening proteinuria. In contrast, vaccination did not appear to adversely affect kidney function or proteinuria. The data in this study recently published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases (AJKD) support vaccination for COVID-19 in patients with glomerular disease.