Evaluation of the Frequency of Nephrotic Syndrome Subtypes Following COVID-19 Vaccination in Zanjan, Iran

Davoodi, Hanieh; Agharafiei , Nadia; Hajisalimi , Bahareh

doi:https://doi.org/10.61186/hsm.5.1.32

Volume 5, Issue 1 (February 2026) Health Science Monitor 2026, 5(1): 32-39 | Back to browse issues page

‎ https://doi.org/10.61186/hsm.5.1.32

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Davoodi H, Agharafiei N, Hajisalimi B. Evaluation of the Frequency of Nephrotic Syndrome Subtypes Following COVID-19 Vaccination in Zanjan, Iran. Health Science Monitor 2026; 5 (1) :32-39
URL: http://hsm.umsu.ac.ir/article-1-269-en.html

Evaluation of the Frequency of Nephrotic Syndrome Subtypes Following COVID-19 Vaccination in Zanjan, Iran

Hanieh Davoodi ^*

, Nadia Agharafiei

, Bahareh Hajisalimi

Faculty of medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran

Abstract: (34 Views)

Background The global outbreak of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, rapidly evolved into a worldwide health crisis. Various vaccines were developed to combat COVID-19; however, concerns have emerged regarding potential side effects, particularly renal complications. Nephrotic syndrome has been reported as a post-vaccination adverse effect, potentially triggered by immune system activation through an unknown mechanism. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of different types of nephrotic syndrome following COVID-19 vaccination.
Methods In this cross-sectional study, all new cases of nephrotic syndrome admitted to Vali-Asr Hospital in Zanjan between 2020 and 2023 were reviewed. The study period covered up to three months following COVID‑19 vaccination. Collected data included age, gender, type of vaccine, vaccination dose, time interval between vaccination and symptom onset, and kidney biopsy findings. Due to the small sample size, no inferential statistical tests were performed, and data analysis was limited to descriptive statistics.
Results A total of 11 patients met the inclusion criteria. The most common nephrotic syndrome observed was Membranous Nephropathy, reported in all cases following administration of the Sinopharm vaccine, mostly after the first dose. The average time interval to symptom onset after the first dose of vaccine was 26 days. Middle-aged individuals were most affected, and the distribution of nephrotic syndrome subtypes appeared similar across genders; however, the study was not powered to detect statistical associations.
Conclusion Membranous Nephropathy was the most commonly observed subtype of nephrotic syndrome among the studied cases (11 patients) following COVID-19 vaccination, particularly after administration of the Sinopharm vaccine. However, given the limited sample size, a causal relationship between vaccination and the onset of nephrotic syndromes cannot be confirmed. Therefore, larger retrospective studies are recommended to better elucidate this potential association.

Keywords: COVID-19, Membranous nephropathy, Nephrotic syndrome, Vaccination

Full-Text [PDF 341 kb] (7 Downloads)

Type of Study: Review Article | Subject: Health Promotion, Protection, and Disease Control
Received: 2025/10/10 | Accepted: 2025/12/27 | Published: 2026/02/11

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