Dynamic monitoring of serum liver function indexes in patients with COVID-19

BACKGROUND Some patients with the novel 2019 coronavirus disease(COVID-19)display elevated liver enzymes.Some antiviral drugs that can be used against COVID-19 are associated with a risk of hepatotoxicity.AIM To analyze the clinical significance of the dynamic monitoring of the liver function of patients with COVID-19.METHODS This was a retrospective study of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in January and February 2020 at the Department of Infection,Shantou Central Hospital.The exclusion criteria for all patients were:(1)History of chronic liver disease;(2)History of kidney disease;(3)History of coronary heart disease;(4)History of malignancy;or(5)History of diabetes.The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),γ-glutamyltransferase,and total bilirubin of patients with COVID-19 were measured on days 1,3,7 and 14 after admission,and compared to non-COVID-19 patents.RESULTS Twelve patients with COVID-19(seven men and five women)and twelve controls(eight men and four women)were included.There were one,two,and nine patients with severe,mild,and moderate COVID-19,respectively.There were no differences in age and sex between the two groups(both P>0.05).No significant differences were found in albumin,ALT,AST,γ-glutamyltransferase,or total bilirubin between the controls and the patients with COVID-19 on day 1 of hospitalization(all P>0.05).Serum albumin showed a decreasing trend from days 0 to 7 of hospitalization,reaching the lowest level on day 7.Total bilirubin was higher on day 3 than on day 7.ALT,AST,andγ-glutamyltransferase did not change significantly over time.The severe patient was observed to have ALT levels of 67 U/L and AST levels of 75 U/L on day 7,ALT of 71 U/L and AST of 35 U/L on day 14,and ALT of 210 U/L and AST of 123 U/L on day 21.CONCLUSION Changes in serum liver function indicators are not obvious in the early stage of COVID-19,but clinically significant changes might be observed in severe COVID-19.