#2172 Evaluation of the impact of COVID-19 vaccines on renal function in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients

Abstract Background and Aims Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients are at higher risk for severe complications from COVID-19. This study aimed to assess the effects of three COVID-19 vaccines (Sinovac, Biontech, Turkovac) on renal function. The primary focus was to analyze changes in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and creatinine levels, specifically examining the average monthly rates of change before vaccination, during the vaccination period, and after vaccination. Method This retrospective observational study included 140 CKD patients aged 20–80 years with a mean age of 63.1 years. Inclusion criteria required baseline GFR values between 30–90 ml/min/1.73 m². Creatinine levels and GFR values were collected at three time points: two years prior to vaccination (pre-vaccination), during the vaccination period, and two years post-vaccination. Average monthly changes in creatinine and GFR were calculated for each period to compare trends. Statistical analyses included Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Tests to assess median differences and Kruskal-Wallis Tests to compare vaccine groups. Results The Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Tests revealed that the average monthly creatinine changes had a median of −0.0025 with a p-value of 0.015. This indicates a significant reduction in the rate of creatinine progression, suggesting that the vaccines did not adversely affect renal function decline. Monthly GFR changes had a median of 0.0004 with a p-value of 0.995, showing no significant changes in GFR values. Kruskal-Wallis Tests comparing vaccine groups showed significant differences in creatinine monthly changes for the Biontech group with a p-value of 0.029. However, there were no significant differences for Sinovac (P = 0.196) and Turkovac (P = 0.265). No significant differences were observed in GFR monthly changes across vaccine groups. Biontech demonstrated distinct creatinine trends compared to other vaccines, while Sinovac and Turkovac showed no significant renal function alterations. Conclusion The comparison of trends suggests that COVID-19 vaccines, particularly Biontech, did not adversely affect renal function. This highlights the safety of vaccination for CKD patients, but continued monitoring of renal health remains critical, especially with aging populations.