Liver test abnormalities in asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 patients and their association with viral shedding time

BACKGROUND Asymptomatic infections and mild symptoms are common in patients infected with the Omicron variant,and data on liver test abnormalities are rare.AIM To evaluated the clinical characteristics of asymptomatic and mild coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)patients with abnormal liver test results.METHODS This retrospective study included 661 laboratory-confirmed asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 patients who were treated in two makeshift hospitals in Ningbo from April 5,2022 to April 29,2022.Clinical information and viral shedding time were collected,and univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were performed in statistical analyses.RESULTS Of the 661 patients,83(12.6%)had liver test abnormalities,and 6(0.9%)had liver injuries.Abnormal liver tests revealed a reliable correlation with a history of liver disease(P<0.001)and a potential correlation with male sex and obesity(P<0.05).Elevated alanine aminotransferase was reliably associated with obesity(P<0.05)and a history of liver disease(P<0.001).Elevated aspartate transaminase(AST)was reliably correlated with a history of liver disease(P<0.001),and potentially correlated with age over 30 years(P<0.05).There was a reliable correlation between AST≥2×the upper limit of normal and a longer viral shedding time,especially in mild cases.CONCLUSION Obesity and a history of liver disease are risk factors for liver test abnormalities.Being male and an older age are potential risk factors.Attention should be given to liver tests in asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 patients,which has crucial clinical significance for evaluating the viral shedding time.

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation benefits postoperative pain relief of oocyte retrieval:A randomized controlled trial

Background Transvaginal oocyte retrieval is frequently followed by adverse events related to anesthesia and the procedure.Some research showed that transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation(TEAS)can relieve intraoperative pain and postoperative nausea.Objective This study examined whether TEAS can alleviate pain and relieve adverse symptoms after oocyte retrieval.Design,setting,participants and interventions Altogether 128 patients were randomly divided into the TEAS group and the mock TEAS group.The two groups received a 30-minute-long TEAS or mock TEAS treatment that began 30 min after oocyte retrieval.Main outcome measures The primary outcome was the visual analog scale(VAS)pain score.Secondary outcomes were pressure pain threshold,McGill score,pain rating index(PRI),present pain intensity(PPI),VAS stress score,VAS anxiety score,and postoperative adverse symptoms.Results The baseline characteristics of the two groups were comparable(P>0.05).The VAS pain scores of the TEAS group were lower than those of the mock TEAS group at 60 and 90 min after oocyte retrieval(P<0.05).The McGill score,PRI and PPI in the TEAS group were significantly lower than those in the control group at 60 min after oocyte retrieval(P<0.05).However,the two groups had equivalent beneficial effects regarding the negative emotions,such as nervousness and anxiety(P>0.05).The TEAS group was superior to the mock TEAS group for relieving postoperative adverse symptoms(P<0.05).Conclusion TEAS treatment can relieve postoperative pain and postoperative adverse symptoms for patients undergoing oocyte retrieval.