Liver Function Tests and FIB-4 Score as Predictors of Severity in COVID-19 Patients from the South-West of Romania

The mortality of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and non-cirrhotic chronic liver disease: a retrospective multi-center study

Background

Patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) have a higher risk of mortality when infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Although the fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), and albumin-bilirubin grade (ALBI) score can predict mortality in CLD, their correlation with the clinical outcomes of CLD patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between the liver severity and the mortality in hospitalized patients with non-cirrhotic CLD and COVID-19.

Methods

This retrospective study analyzed 231 patients with non-cirrhotic CLD and COVID-19. Clinical characteristics, laboratory data, including liver status indices, and clinical outcomes were assessed to determine the correlation between liver status indices and the mortality among patients with non-cirrhotic CLD and COVID-19.

Results

Non-survivors had higher levels of prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR), alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and lower albumin levels. Multivariable analysis showed that ALBI grade 3 (odds ratio (OR): 22.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.70-305.38], p = 0.018), FIB-4 index ≥ 3.25 (OR: 10.62, 95% CI [1.12-100.31], p = 0.039), PT-INR (OR: 19.81, 95% CI [1.31-299.49], p = 0.031), hs-CRP (OR: 1.02, 95% CI [1.01-1.02], p = 0.001), albumin level (OR: 0.08, 95% CI [0.02-0.39], p = 0.002), and use of vasopressors (OR: 4.98, 95% CI [1.27-19.46], p = 0.021) were associated with the mortality.

Conclusion

The ALBI grade 3 and FIB-4 index ≥ 3.25, higher PT-INR, hsCRP levels and lower albumin levels could be associated with mortality in non-cirrhotic CLD patients with COVID-19. Clinicians could assess the ALBI grade, FIB-4 index, PT-INR, hs-CRP, and albumin levels of patients with non-cirrhotic CLD upon admission.

Aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index has utility as a biomarker of COVID-19 severity in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

AIM

Patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are reported to have greater coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity compared with patients without NAFLD. Previous studies have reported that noninvasive liver fibrosis scores, including the Fibrosis-4 index, NAFLD fibrosis score, and aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI), have utility in predicting COVID-19 mortality and disease severity in patients without NAFLD. However, the utility of liver fibrosis scores in predicting COVID-19 mortality and disease severity among patients with NAFLD infected with SARS-CoV-2 has yet to be evaluated.

METHODS

This retrospective observational study comprised 126 patients with NAFLD and active SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients were classified into low COVID-19 severity (mild or moderate I disease) and high COVID-19 severity (moderate II or severe disease) groups based on the therapeutic guideline implemented by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare of Japan.

RESULTS

Of the 126 patients, only one had been diagnosed with NAFLD before admission. Age; levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, lactate dehydrogenase, blood urea nitrogen, and serum C-reactive protein; Fibrosis-4 index; NAFLD fibrosis score; and APRI levels on admission were higher in the high COVID-19 severity group compared with the low COVID-19 severity group. Serum albumin levels, platelet counts, and lymphocyte counts on admission were lower in the high COVID-19 severity group compared with the low COVID-19 severity group. Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that APRI values were significantly associated with COVID-19 severity and hospitalization duration for COVID-19.

CONCLUSIONS

APRI was independently associated with COVID-19 severity and hospitalization duration for COVID-19 in patients with NAFLD.

How Dexamethasone Used in Anti-COVID-19 Therapy Influenced Antihypertensive Treatment in Patients with SARS-CoV-2

BACKGROUND

During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic period, in the treatment approved by the WHO, along with antivirals, antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and anticoagulants, dexamethasone was always used. This study started from the professional concern related to the vasopressor effect of cortisone on blood pressure (BP).

METHODS

The study group was achieved by selecting, from a total of 356 patients hospitalized in the clinic, the patients with known hypertensive status at admission for SARS-CoV-2. Dexamethasone was part of the anti-COVID-19 treatment, with an administration of 4-6-8 mg/day, depending on bodyweight, for 10 days. All patients with hypertension received antihypertensive treatment in adjusted doses according to the recorded BP values.

RESULTS

Monitoring of BP in hospitalized patients was performed daily, in the morning and evening. If on the 2nd day of treatment, 84% of the patients partially responded to the treatment with a moderate decrease in BP, on the 3rd therapy day, the situation clearly improved: more than 75% of the patients had values of BP that can be classified as high-normal (38.23%) and normal (40.03%).

CONCLUSIONS

Dexamethasone for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection did not have a notable influence on increasing BP, because the doses were low-moderate and prescribed for a short time.

Liver dysfunction-related COVID-19: A narrative review

The coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) is caused by a novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. This disease was designated by the World Health Organization as a pandemic on March 11, 2020, which is not seen before. There are no classical features among the cases of the disease owing to the involvement of nearly all body tissues by the virus. Hepatic involvement is one of the characteristics of the COVID-19 course. There are six possible mechanisms of such involvement: Direct virus injury, drug-induced effect, inflammatory cytokine storm, hypoxia-ischemic destruction, abnormalities in liver function tests, and pre-existing chronic liver diseases. Liver abnormalities are seen commonly in the severe or critical stage of COVID-19. Therefore, these abnormalities determine the COVID-19 severity and carry a high rate of morbidity and mortality. The elderly and patients with comorbidities like diabetes mellitus and hypertension are more vulnerable to liver involvement. Another issue that needs to be disclosed is the liver manifestations following the COVID-19 vaccination, such as autoimmune hepatitis. Of note, complete vaccination with third and fourth booster doses is necessary for patients with previous chronic liver diseases or those who have been subjected to liver transplantation. This review aims to explore the various aspects of liver dysfunction during the COVID-19 course regarding the epidemiological features, predisposing factors, pathophysiological mechanisms, hepatic manifestations due to COVID-19 or following vaccination, role of liver function tests in the assessment of COVID-19 severity, adverse effects of the therapeutic agents for the disease, and prognosis.