Inflammatory cytokines,T lymphocyte subsets,and ritonavir involved in liver injury of COVID-19 patients

Dear Editor,Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)is a type of novel coronavirus and no specific treatment is currently available.Apart from damages to the lung,COVID-19 is also able to trigger liver injury.Numerous observational studies have revealed that elevation of liver enzymes,including alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and aspartate aminotransferase(AST),was detected in some COVID-19 patients,especially in severe cases.1 Unfortunately,the underlying mechanisms and risk factors of COVID-19-induced liver damage have not been completely elucidated.Therefore,identification of novel risk factors in liver injury of COVID-19 patients is essential for the prevention and treatment of liver damage.In this study,192 patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in Chongqing Public Health Center were recruited to identify the risk factors in COVID-19 patients with liver injury.