Collapsing glomerulopathy following COVID-19 infection: Possible relationship with APOL1 kidney risk alleles in African-Americans

Abstract

Collapsing glomerulopathy (CG) is being increasingly reported in African American patients with COVID-19 infection during the current pandemic. It is possible that CG following COVID-19 infection in this population may be linked to underlying APOL1 kidney risk alleles, which are not uncommon in this ethnic group. This lesion should be considered in the differential diagnosis of rapidly declining renal function in association with heavy proteinuria in the setting of COVID-19 disease, especially in patients of African ancestry.