Features of liver function in pediatric patients infected with Delta variant versus Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2

Objective: To summarize and analyze the features of liver function in pediatric patients infected with Delta variant versus Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Methods: In this study, an analysis was performed for the liver function test results of the locally transmitted or imported pediatric patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection during isolation who were admitted to Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, since May 21, 2021, and the clinical data and the constituent ratio of liver injury were compared between the pediatric patients infected with Delta variant and those infected with Omicron variant. The independent samples t-test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups, and the chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Results: A total of 85 pediatric patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 were enrolled, among whom there were 32 (37.6%) pediatric patients infected with Delta variant and 53 (62.4%) pediatric patients infected with Omicron variant, and there were no significant differences between the two groups in age, sex, body height, body weight, and comorbidities (all P > 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in elating aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, total bilirubin, albumin, and cholinesterase (all P > 0.05), and the pediatric patients infected with Omicron variant had a significantly higher level of total bile acid (TBA) than those infected with Delta variant (Z=-2.336, P=0.020). However, the median values of TBA were within the normal range and the ratios of abnormal TBA were no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). Among the 85 pediatric patients, 10 (11.8%) had a mild increase in liver function parameters, among whom 7 had an increase in TBA, 1 had an increase in ALT, 1 had increases in ALT and AST, and 1 had an increase in ALP. The analysis of liver injury in the pediatric patients infected with Delta variant or Omicron variant showed that there was no significant difference in the constituent ratio of liver injury caused by the two variants (6.3% vs 15.1%, X2=0.691, P=0.406). Conclusion: Mild liver injury is observed in pediatric patients infected with Delta and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2, but further studies are needed to evaluate the long-term influence of such infection on liver function.

Clinical characteristics of liver injury in SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant- and Omicron subvariant-infected patients.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Liver injury in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant- and Omicron subvariant-infected patients is unknown at present, and the aim of this study is to summarize liver injury in these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 460 SARS-CoV-2-infected patients were enrolled. Five severe or critical patients were excluded, and 34 patients were also excluded because liver injury was not considered to be related to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Liver injury was compared between Omicron and non-Omicron variants- and between Omicron subvariant-infected patients; additionally, the clinical data related to liver injury were also analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 421 patients enrolled for analysis, liver injury was detected in 76 (18.1%) patients, including 46 Omicron and 30 non-Omicron variant-infected patients. The ratios did not differ between Omicron and non-Omicron variant-, Omicron BA.1, BA.2 and BA.5 subvariant-infected patients (P>0.05). The majority of abnormal parameters of liver function tests were mildly elevated (1-3 × ULN), the most frequently elevated parameter of liver function test was γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT, 9.5%, 40/421), and patients with cholangiocyte or biliary duct injury markers were higher than with hepatocellular injury markers. Multivariate analysis showed that age (>40 years old, OR=1.898, 95% CI=1.058-3.402, P=0.032), sex (male gender, OR=2.031, 95% CI=1.211-3.408, P=0.007), serum amyloid A (SAA) level (>10 mg/ml, OR=3.595, 95% CI=1.840-7.026, P<0.001) and vaccination status (No, OR=2.131, 95% CI=1.089-4.173, P=0.027) were independent factors related to liver injury. CONCLUSIONS: Liver injury does not differ between Omicron and non-Omicron variants or between Omicron subvariant-infected patients. The elevations of cholangiocyte or biliary duct injury biomarkers are dominant in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients.

Clinical features and predictive factors related to liver injury in SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron variant-infected patients.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Delta and Omicron variants have become the dominant variants worldwide, and studies focused on liver injury in these patients are limited. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 157 SARS-CoV-2-infected patients were enrolled, including 77 Delta variant-infected patients and 80 Omicron variant-infected patients. Liver injury data and clinical data were summarized and compared between patients infected with the two variants, additionally, patients with or without liver injury were also compared and multivariate analysis was performed to explore the predictive factors related to liver injury in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients. RESULTS: Liver injury was found in 18 (23.4%)/15 (18.8%) in Delta/Omicron variant-infected patients on admission, and 4 (5.2%)/1 (1.3%) in Delta/Omicron variant-infected patients during hospitalization, respectively. The ratios of liver injury did not differ between the two groups ( χ2 = 1.571; P = 0.210). Among these patients, 17 (77.3%) and 12 (75.0%) Delta and Omicron variant-infected patients were considered to be related to SARS-CoV-2 infection, the biomarkers of liver function were mildly elevated, dominated by the parameter of cholangiocyte injury: 76.5% (13/17) and 83.3% (10/12) in Delta and Omicron variant-infected patients, and most of these patients recovered to normal during follow-up. Multivariate analysis showed that male sex [odds ratio (OR), 4.476; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.235-16.222; P = 0.023] and high levels of peak viral load in the nasopharynx (OR, 3.022; 95% CI, 1.338-6.827; P = 0.008) were independent factors related to liver injury. CONCLUSION: Cholangiocyte injury biomarkers are dominated in Delta and Omicron variant-infected patients, male sex and high levels of peak viral load in the nasopharynx are predictive factors related to liver injury in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients.

Naturally occurring resistance-associated variants to NS3/4A protease and NS5A inhibitors in patients with HIV/HCV co-infection or HCV infection alone. (Theme Issue: Diagnosis and treatment of liver failure in children.) [Chinese]

Objective: To investigate the difference in naturally occurring resistance-associated variants (RAVs) between the patients with HIV/HCV co-infection and those with HCV infection alone by detecting the drug resistance loci associated with HCV NS3/4A protease and NS5A inhibitors.

Effectiveness of containment strategies in preventing SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

BACKGROUND: Despite substantial resources deployed to curb SARS-CoV-2 transmission, controlling the COVID-19 pandemic has been a major challenge. New variants of the virus are frequently emerging leading to new waves of infection and re-introduction of control measures. In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of containment strategies implemented in the early phase of the pandemic. METHODS: Real-world data for COVID-19 cases was retrieved for the period Jan 1 to May 1, 2020 from a number of different sources, including PubMed, MEDLINE, Facebook, Epidemic Forecasting and Google Mobility Reports. We analyzed data for 18 countries/regions that deployed containment strategies such as travel restrictions, lockdowns, stay-at-home requests, school/public events closure, social distancing, and exposure history information management (digital contact tracing, DCT). Primary outcome measure was the change in the number of new cases over 30 days before and after deployment of a control measure. We also compared the effectiveness of centralized versus decentralized DCT. Time series data for COVID-19 were analyzed using Mann-Kendall (M-K) trend tests to investigate the impact of these measures on changes in the number of new cases. The rate of change in the number of new cases was compared using M-K z-values and Sen's slope. RESULTS: In spite of the widespread implementation of conventional strategies such as lockdowns, travel restrictions, social distancing, school closures, and stay-at-home requests, analysis revealed that these measures could not prevent the spread of the virus. However, countries which adopted DCT with centralized data storage were more likely to contain the spread. CONCLUSIONS: Centralized DCT was more effective in containing the spread of COVID-19. Early implementation of centralized DCT should be considered in future outbreaks. However, challenges such as public acceptance, data security and privacy concerns will need to be addressed.

Clinical features of patients with Severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 Delta variant infection and abnormal liver function in Guangdong Province, China. (Theme Issue: New advances in the precise diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer.) [Chinese]

Objective: To investigate the clinical features of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Delta variant infection and abnormal liver function in Guangdong Province, China.