Liver impairment in COVID‐19 patients: a retrospective analysis of 115 cases from a single center in Wuhan city, China

Abstract

[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‐center study was conducted on 115 confirmed cases of COVID‐19 in Zhongnan hospital of Wuhan University from Jan 18 to Feb 22, 2020. Liver function and related indexes were analyzed 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 in compared with hospitalized community‐acquired pneumonia patients, and the levels of albumin is even significantly higher. 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.