A new study this week reported by the American Society of Nephrology COVID-19 Response Team shows how coronavirus is affecting patients' kidneys.

Researchers found up to half of ICU intakes required dialysis because of COVID-19 damage to the vital organs or the effects of the virus to the body.

The recent nationwide study in New York went on to find some of the ICU patients had no underlying health or kidney issues prior to the virus.

Tampa General Hospital's Dr. Rajendra Baliga, who’s the medical director of the Kidney/Pancreas Transplant Program, said doctors here are seeing similar problems with COVID-19 patients at their emergency care units.

"There are different parts in the kidneys that can get affected,” Dr. Baliga explained.  “So it can affect the filters themselves or the whole tissues of the kidney."

Basically, COVID-19 affects the kidneys in several ways.

"The kidneys have a lot of functions, including cleaning the blood up, getting rid of extra fluid, and that maybe part of the reason why COVID affects the kidneys,” he said.

“Having said that, COVID seems to affect the blood vessels, including those in the kidneys."        

Dr. Baliga also described what else he's seeing in severe ICU patients at TGH.

He said older adults are at risk, but dialysis has also been required for patients as young as in their 20's. And the biggest correlation to severe cases of kidney infection has more to do with how severely infected a patient is, not necessarily their age.

Dr. Baliga explained that’s because COVID-19 affects kidneys with direct inflammation in a minority of cases. But more commonly, in the most severe cases, he said patients can experience kidney failure while other organs shut down as well.

Thankfully though, Dr. Baliga said most patients get better.

"Whether COVID has directly affected the kidney or has caused kidneys to shut down to the point of needing dialysis with the COVID infection, as the patients improve, most patients have recovered kidney function," he said.