BIOCHEMICAL MAKERS AMONG CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE PATIENTS ACCORDING COVID-19 INFECTION: A FOLLOW-UP STUDY

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread rapidly around the world, posing a major threat to human health and the economy. Chronic Liver disease (CLD) patients could be at high risk for COVID-19. At this moment, there is little data about biochemical variation according to liver disease along to COVID-19 infection. Objectives: This study aims to report the levels of biochemical markers in CLD patients with or without COVID-19 to give more information that could help clinical monitoring. Methods: A total of 66 CLD patients were included in this study during year of 2020. Study was approved by Brazilian Ethics Committee. Blood and respiratory samples were collected after signed informed consent. At baseline and during follow-up, all subjects included in this study underwent routine examination, monitoring of biochemical markers, and SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing with a median follow-up interval of 15 days. Results: Most of individuals were male 56% (37/66) and mean age of population was 49±17 years. Six out 66 CLD patients were SARS CoV-2 RNA positive at baseline. At the end of follow-up, all these 6 patients achieved SARS-CoV-2 clearance. At least once during follow-up, the CLD group versus CLD/COVID-19 group, 50% (30/60) vs. 33% (2/6) had abnormal alanine aminotransferase;47% (28/60) vs. 17% (1/6) had abnormal aspartate aminotransferase;60% (36/60) vs. 67% (4/6) had abnormal γ-glutamyltransferase, 32% CLD patients (19/60) had abnormal total bilirubin levels vs. none of the CLD/COVID-19 group. Conclusions: Previous liver disease did not seem to increase the biochemical levels, except GGT, during COVID-19 infection. However, liver function monitoring is still essential for both COVID-19 patients with and without liver disease.