Long-Term Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Exposure on Kidney and Thyroid Health in a Nigerian Urban Population

COVID-19, caused by the newly discovered coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, is a contagious disease that has affected millions worldwide. It often begins with symptoms related to the respiratory system, such as pneumonia that affects the small air sacs and tissues in the lungs. But the virus doesn’t stop there; it can also impact other organs, including the kidneys and thyroid glands. These organs have a special receptor called ACE2, which the virus uses to enter cells, making them vulnerable. Currently, there’s limited information on how the pandemic might change kidney and thyroid health in the long run. This study aims to shed light on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the thyroid and kidney health of residents in Oyo State, Nigeria. We conducted a cross-sectional study focusing on individuals in Ibadan, exploring their thyroid and renal health after exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Venous blood samples were randomly collected from 165 participants in different areas of Ibadan. We gathered socio-demographic information and divided the participants into two groups: 85 individuals who were unexposed, testing negative for both SARS-CoV-2 RNA and antibodies, and 80 individuals who were exposed, testing positive for both. The renal markers (cystatin C, urea, creatinine, electrolytes) and thyroid function markers (FT3, FT4, TSH) of both groups were analyzed using an independent sample t-test. There was no significant differences (p > 0.05) found in the mean ± SD values of the identified markers between individuals exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and those unexposed. The findings suggest that individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 in this study experienced full recovery of renal and thyroid functions during the pandemic.