BACKGROUND Various liver and gastrointestinal involvements occur in patients with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)at variable prevalence.Most studies report mild liver function disturbances correlated with COVID-19 ...BACKGROUND Various liver and gastrointestinal involvements occur in patients with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)at variable prevalence.Most studies report mild liver function disturbances correlated with COVID-19 severity,though liver failure is unusual.AIM To study liver and gastrointestinal dysfunctions in Egyptian patients with COVID-19 and their relation to disease outcomes METHODS This multicentre cohort study was conducted on 547 Egyptian patients from April 15,2020 to July 29,2020.Consecutive polymerase chain reaction-confirmed COVID-19 cases were included from four quarantine hospitals affiliated to the Egyptian ministry of health.Demographic information,laboratory characteristics,treatments,fibrosis-4(FIB-4)index,COVID-19 severity,and outcomes were recorded and compared according to the degree of liver enzyme elevation and the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms.Follow-ups were conducted until discharge or death.Regression analyses were performed to determine the independent factors affecting mortality.RESULTS This study included 547 patients,of whom 53(9.68%)died during hospitalization and 1 was discharged upon his request.Patients’mean age was 45.04±17.61 years,and 21.98%had severe or critical COVID-19.Alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and aspartate aminotransferase(AST)were available for 430 and 428 patients,respectively.In total,26%and 32%of patients had elevated ALT and AST,respectively.Significant liver injury with ALT or AST elevation exceeding 3-fold was recorded in 21(4.91%)and 16(3.73%)patients,respectively.Male gender,smoking,hypertension,chronic hepatitis C,and lung involvement were associated with elevated AST or ALT.AST was elevated in 50%of patients over 60-years-old.FIB-4 was significantly higher in patients admitted to the intensive care unit(ICU),those with more severe COVID-19,and non-survivors.The independent variables affecting outcome were supplementary vitamin C intake(1 g daily capsules)[odds ratio(OR):0.05,95%confidence interval(CI):0.008–0.337];lung consolidation(OR:4.540,95%CI:1.155–17.840);ICU admission(OR:25.032,95%CI:7.110–88.128);and FIB-4 score>3.25(OR:10.393,95%CI:2.459-43.925).Among 60(13.98%)patients with gastrointestinal symptoms,52(86.67%)had diarrhoea.Patients with gastrointestinal symptoms were predominantly females with higher body mass index,and 50(83.40%)patients had non-severe COVID-19.CONCLUSION Few Egyptian patients with COVID-19 developed a significant liver injury.The independent variables affecting mortality were supplementary vitamin C intake,lung consolidation,ICU admission,and FIB-4 score.展开更多
文摘BACKGROUND Various liver and gastrointestinal involvements occur in patients with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)at variable prevalence.Most studies report mild liver function disturbances correlated with COVID-19 severity,though liver failure is unusual.AIM To study liver and gastrointestinal dysfunctions in Egyptian patients with COVID-19 and their relation to disease outcomes METHODS This multicentre cohort study was conducted on 547 Egyptian patients from April 15,2020 to July 29,2020.Consecutive polymerase chain reaction-confirmed COVID-19 cases were included from four quarantine hospitals affiliated to the Egyptian ministry of health.Demographic information,laboratory characteristics,treatments,fibrosis-4(FIB-4)index,COVID-19 severity,and outcomes were recorded and compared according to the degree of liver enzyme elevation and the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms.Follow-ups were conducted until discharge or death.Regression analyses were performed to determine the independent factors affecting mortality.RESULTS This study included 547 patients,of whom 53(9.68%)died during hospitalization and 1 was discharged upon his request.Patients’mean age was 45.04±17.61 years,and 21.98%had severe or critical COVID-19.Alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and aspartate aminotransferase(AST)were available for 430 and 428 patients,respectively.In total,26%and 32%of patients had elevated ALT and AST,respectively.Significant liver injury with ALT or AST elevation exceeding 3-fold was recorded in 21(4.91%)and 16(3.73%)patients,respectively.Male gender,smoking,hypertension,chronic hepatitis C,and lung involvement were associated with elevated AST or ALT.AST was elevated in 50%of patients over 60-years-old.FIB-4 was significantly higher in patients admitted to the intensive care unit(ICU),those with more severe COVID-19,and non-survivors.The independent variables affecting outcome were supplementary vitamin C intake(1 g daily capsules)[odds ratio(OR):0.05,95%confidence interval(CI):0.008–0.337];lung consolidation(OR:4.540,95%CI:1.155–17.840);ICU admission(OR:25.032,95%CI:7.110–88.128);and FIB-4 score>3.25(OR:10.393,95%CI:2.459-43.925).Among 60(13.98%)patients with gastrointestinal symptoms,52(86.67%)had diarrhoea.Patients with gastrointestinal symptoms were predominantly females with higher body mass index,and 50(83.40%)patients had non-severe COVID-19.CONCLUSION Few Egyptian patients with COVID-19 developed a significant liver injury.The independent variables affecting mortality were supplementary vitamin C intake,lung consolidation,ICU admission,and FIB-4 score.