Liver impairment in COVID‐19 patients: A retrospective analysis of 115 cases from a single centre in Wuhan city, China. (28th April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Yafei; Zheng, Liang; Liu, Lan; Zhao, Mengya; Xiao, Jun; Zhao, Qiu
• Is Part Of: Liver international. Volume 40:Number 9(2020)
• Page Start: 2095
• Page End: 2103
• Publication Date: 2020-04-28
• Subjects: clinical significance -- COVID‐19 -- liver function -- SARS‐CoV‐2 -- Wuhan; Liver -- Periodicals; Liver -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 616.362
• DOI: 10.1111/liv.14455
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1478-3223

Abstract

Abstract: Background: The SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic is an ongoing global health emergency. The aim of our study was to investigate the changes of liver function and its clinical significance in COVID‐19 patients. Method: This retrospective, single‐centre study was conducted on 115 confirmed cases of COVID‐19 in Zhongnan hospital of Wuhan University from 18 January 2020 to 22 February 2020. Liver function and related indexes were analysed to evaluate its relationship with disease progression in COVID‐19 patients. Results: Part of the COVID‐19 patients presented with varying degrees of abnormality in liver function indexes. However, the levels of ALT, AST, TBIL, GGT and LDH in COVID‐19 patients were not significantly different when compared with hospitalised community‐acquired pneumonia patients, and the levels of albumin is even significantly higher. The levels of ALT, AST, TBIL, LDH and INR showed statistically significant elevation in severe COVID‐19 cases compared with that in mild cases. However, the clinical significance of the elevation is unremarkable. Majority of severe COVID‐19 patients showed significantly decreasing in albumin level and continuously decreasing in the progress of illness. Most of the liver function indexes in COVID‐19 patients were correlated with CRP and NLR, the markers of inflammation. Logistic regression analysis further identified NLR as the independent risk factor for severe COVID‐19, as well as age. Conclusions: Although abnormalities of liver function indexes are common in COVID‐19 patients, the impairment of liver function is not a prominent feature of COVID‐19, and also may not have serious clinical consequences.