Liver Injury in Patients with COVID-19: A Retrospective Study

The impact of acute and prior SARS-CoV-2 infection on maternal and neonatal outcomes in pregnant women: a single-center retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in pregnant women have an adverse impact on perinatal outcomes, including cesarean section, preterm birth, fetal distress. However, it's uncertain whether these adverse consequences are caused by previous SARS-COV-2 infection during pregnancy or acute infection at the time of delivery.

METHODS

We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study among pregnant women with singleton pregnancy who delivered between 1 December 2022 and 1 February 2023 (n = 2472). Pregnancies were divided into three groups: non-infected group, acute SARS-CoV-2 infection group, prior SARS-CoV-2 infection group based on PCR or antigen test. The clinical data for mothers and neonates came from medical records on internal healthcare system. Follow-up time spanned from admission to discharge. We investigated the impact of acute and prior SARS-CoV-2 infection on maternal and neonatal outcome. Multivariable logistic models were used to assess the risk of adverse perinatal outcome in pregnant women with acute and prior SARS-CoV-2 infection.

RESULTS

Compared to the non-infected pregnant women, acute SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant women had significant higher rates of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) (26 women [4.4%] vs. 8 women [1.0%]; aOR, 4.9 [95% CI, 2.2-11.0]; P < 0.001), preterm birth (<37 wk) (53women [9.0%] vs. 45 women [5.7%]; aOR, 1.7 [95% CI, 1.1-2.7]; P < 0.05), fetal distress(106 women [18.1%] vs. 82 women [10.4%]; aOR,1.9 [95% CI, 1.4-2.6]; P < 0.01), primary cesarean delivery (216 women [36.9%] vs. 239women [30.3%]; aOR, 1.4[95% CI, 1.1-1.8]; P < 0.01) and neonatal unit admission (69 neonates [12%] vs. 64 neonates [8.3%]; aOR, 1.6 [95% CI, 1.1-2.3]; P < 0.05), prior SARS-CoV-2 infection were associated with an increased risk of ICP (40 women [3.7%] vs. 8 women [1.0%]; aOR, 3.9 [95% CI, 1.8-8.5]; P <0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Pregnant women at delivery with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection were associated with higher risk of ICP, preterm birth, fetal distress, primary cesarean delivery and neonatal unit admission. Prior SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy was associated with higher risk ICP. These findings emphasize the need for optimization of strategies for prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women, especially for acute infection at delivery.

Impact of Omicron variant infection on the liver, kidney, and coagulation system in patients undergoing elective surgery: a retrospective case-control study

Purpose: We aimed to investigate the impact of Omicron variant infection on the perioperative organ function in patients undergoing elective surgery. Methods: A total of 5029 patients who underwent elective surgery between October 2022 and January 2023 at our hospital were enrolled. Among them, the patients who underwent elective surgery between October 2022 and November 2022 composed Group 1 (not infected with the Omicron variant) the control group; those who underwent elective surgery between December 2022 and January 2023 composed Group 2 (one month after Omicron variant infection) the experimental group. We further divided the patients into two subgroups for analysis: the tumor subgroup and the nontumor subgroup. Data on organ system function indicators, including coagulation parameters, liver function, complete blood count (CBC), and kidney function, were collected before and after surgery. Differences between the two groups were subsequently analyzed via binary logistic regression analysis. Results: Compared with those in the uninfected patient group, the following changes were observed in patients with Omicron variant infection who underwent elective surgery one month after infection: prothrombin activity (PTa), prothrombin time (PT), fibrinogen, albumin/globulin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), platelet (PLT), and anemia were increased AST/ALT, indirect bilirubin (IBILI), eosinophils, and uric acid were decreased before surgery; and lung infection/pneumonia and fibrinogen were increased, while AST/ALT, globulin, total bilirubin (TBIL), white blood cell count (WBC), and uric acid were decreased after surgery. There was no significant difference in the mortality rate or length of hospital stay (LOS) between the two groups. Subgroup analysis revealed elevated monocyte, PLT, and fibrinogen classification, levels and decreased globulin, prealbumin (PBA), eosinophil, and uric acid levels in the tumor subgroup of patients who underwent elective surgery one month after Omicron infection compared with those in the uninfected patients. Compared with the nontumor subgroup, fibrinogen levels, lung infection/pneumonia, TBIL, and PLT count were increased in the uninfected patients, while the globulin and eosinophil levels were decreased. Conclusion: Compared with uninfected patients, patients who underwent elective surgery one month after Omicron variant infection exhibited minimal changes in perioperative coagulation parameters, liver function, CBC counts, and kidney function. Additionally, no significant differences in postoperative mortality or LOS were observed between the two groups.

COVID-19, Possible Hepatic Pathways and Alcohol Abuse-What Do We Know up to 2023?

The pandemic period due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) revolutionized all possible areas of global health. Significant consequences were also related to diverse extrapulmonary manifestations of this pathology. The liver was found to be a relatively common organ, beyond the respiratory tract, affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Multiple studies revealed the essential role of chronic liver disease (CLD) in the general outcome of coronavirus infection. Present concerns in this field are related to the direct hepatic consequences caused by COVID-19 and pre-existing liver disorders as risk factors for the severe course of the infection. Which mechanism has a key role in this phenomenon-previously existing hepatic disorder or acute liver failure due to SARS-CoV-2-is still not fully clarified. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) constitutes another not fully elucidated context of coronavirus infection. Should the toxic effects of ethanol or already developed liver cirrhosis and its consequences be perceived as a causative or triggering factor of hepatic impairment in COVID-19 patients? In the face of these discrepancies, we decided to summarize the role of the liver in the whole picture of coronavirus infection, paying special attention to ALD and focusing on the pathological pathways related to COVID-19, ethanol toxicity and liver cirrhosis.

COVID-19-associated liver injury: Adding fuel to the flame

COVID-19 is mainly characterized by respiratory disorders and progresses to multiple organ involvement in severe cases. With expansion of COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 research, correlative liver injury has been revealed. It is speculated that COVID-19 patients exhibited abnormal liver function, as previously observed in the SARS and MERS pandemics. Furthermore, patients with underlying diseases such as chronic liver disease are more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 and indicate a poor prognosis accompanied by respiratory symptoms, systemic inflammation, or metabolic diseases. Therefore, COVID-19 has the potential to impair liver function, while individuals with preexisting liver disease suffer from much worse infected conditions. COVID-19 related liver injury may be owing to direct cytopathic effect, immune dysfunction, gut-liver axis interaction, and inappropriate medication use. However, discussions on these issues are infancy. Expanding research have revealed that angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) expression mediated the combination of virus and target cells, iron metabolism participated in the virus life cycle and the fate of target cells, and amino acid metabolism regulated immune response in the host cells, which are all closely related to liver health. Further exploration holds great significance in elucidating the pathogenesis, facilitating drug development, and advancing clinical treatment of COVID-19-related liver injury. This article provides a review of the clinical and laboratory hepatic characteristics in COVID-19 patients, describes the etiology and impact of liver injury, and discusses potential pathophysiological mechanisms.

Clinical and Histopathological Discoveries in Patients with Hepatic Injury and Cholangiopathy Who Have Died of COVID-19: Insights and Opportunities for Intervention

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on global health, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of its diverse manifestations. Cholangiopathy, a condition characterized by biliary dysfunction, has emerged as a significant complication in COVID-19 patients. In this review, we report the epidemiology of COVID-19, describe the hepatotropism of SARS-CoV-2, and present the histopathology of acute liver injury (ALI) in COVID-19. Additionally, we explore the relationship between pre-existing chronic liver disease and COVID-19, shedding light on the increased susceptibility of these individuals to develop cholangiopathy. Through an in-depth analysis of cholangiopathy in COVID-19 patients, we elucidate its clinical manifestations, diagnostic criteria, and underlying pathogenesis involving inflammation, immune dysregulation, and vascular changes. Furthermore, we provide a summary of studies investigating post-COVID-19 cholangiopathy, highlighting the long-term effects and potential management strategies for this condition, and discussing opportunities for intervention, including therapeutic targets, diagnostic advancements, supportive care, and future research needs.