Table 1 Key points of acute kidney injury in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients

- AKI is frequently observed in ARDS patients affected by different comorbidities: similar findings were observed in Wuhan COVID-19 infected patients.

- ARDS-associated AKI may be ascribed to several causes including an inflammatory/immune reaction characterized by an enhanced release of circulating mediators able to interact and damage kidney-resident cells.

- Kidney epithelial cell viral infection may worsen local inflammatory response and consequently the incidence and the duration of AKI episodes.

- These comorbidities may be associated with a pre-existing chronic decline of kidney function (concept of renal functional reserve) and with a tendency to develop AKI episodes.

- Identification of patients with AKI may lead to a better allocation of hospital resources: early biomarkers of AKI may favor this process.

- The use of extracorporeal blood purification techniques and anti-viral therapies may theoretically limit the systemic and local inflammatory response at least in part responsible for multiple organ failures including AKI.