Liver enzymes in high-risk patients diagnosed with COVID-19

ABSTRACT

Introduction: It is important to know the alterations in liver enzymes in patients with COVID-19, as markers of liver damage. Objective: To identify alterations in liver enzymes in high-risk patients with COVID-19. Methods: A prospective descriptive study was carried out on alterations in liver enzymes in 56 patients admitted with COVID-19. The variables studied were age, sex, evolution towards gravity, and liver enzymes. Serum samples were taken on the first day of admission and on the fifth day to determine liver enzymes. The Ritis index was also found. Results: The average age was 66.64 ± 13.12 years, 51.8% were older men and 37.5% progressed towards severity. In all enzymes there was an increase in the mean on the fifth day of the study. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) were found to be high in most of the patients from the first day. On the fifth day, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was high in 71.4% of non-severe patients and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in severe cases. At the beginning, a Ritis index < 1 was more frequent, but on the fifth day the Ritis index > 1 increased by 42.9% in seriously ill. 56.6% of seriously ill patients modified this index on the fifth day. Conclusions: The elevation of the mean liver enzymes on the fifth day was demonstrated. LDH and GGT remained high from the beginning of the disease. The majority of severe patients reversed the Ritis index on the fifth day. © 2022, Editorial Ciencias Medicas. All rights reserved.