Abstract
The interplay between COVID-19 and urinary tract involvement (UTI) remained an area of significant clinical interest, particularly given the potential for overlapping symptomatology and complications. This study examined the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients with concurrent UTI, assessing risk factors and outcomes. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 70 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in different hospitals in Iraq during March 2022 - March 2023. Our study enrolled clinical outcomes of UTI symptoms, causative pathogens, laboratory markers, and hospitalization outcomes. This study identified urinary tract involvement (UTI) symptoms, and these symptoms were evaluated by IPSS Scores, as well as evaluated the general health quality of psychological aspects using HADS scores in both anxiety and depression. EQ-5D scores. Logistic regression was performed to determine risk factors for UTI development. The cohort had (50.0% aged 51–60), with 60.0% male and 40.0% female participants. Hypertension (28.6%), diabetes mellitus (21.4%), and obesity (25.7%) were prevalent comorbidities. UTI symptoms were reported in 50.0% of patients, with dysuria (28.6%) and lower abdominal pain (25.7%) being the most common. Escherichia coli (35.7%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (21.4%) were the predominant pathogens. Severe COVID-19 (21.4%) was associated with elevated inflammatory markers (CRP: 45.6 ± 12.4 mg/L; D-dimer: 1.8 ± 0.7 μg/mL). Hospitalization outcomes revealed a mean length of stay of 10.5 ± 3.2 days, with 28.6% requiring ICU admission and an 11.4% mortality rate. UTI is a frequent complication in COVID-19 patients, particularly among older adults, women, and those with metabolic comorbidities. Severe COVID-19 correlates with worse urinary outcomes, emphasizing the need for vigilant urological monitoring in high-risk populations.