Hepatic manifestations of COVID-19 in the obstetric population

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 has and continues to affect healthcare across the world. Pregnant women have been identified as a moderate-risk group with regards to clinical susceptibility to COVID-19. Acute liver injury in pregnancy secondary to COVID-19 has been documented sparsely across the world. In this report, we describe the case of a pregnant women who presented with COVID-19 liver injury. A second women with a similar presentation and outcome also presented during the same COVID-19 wave but contact details were lost and consent not gained. Description The cases occurred in December 2020 during which time the predominant reported variant was the alpha strain of COVID-19. Patient A was a multiparous woman, who presented to the labour ward at 37 weeks, a few days after a positive COVID-19 test with vomiting. Investigations revealed significant derangement of liver function tests (LFTs) but with normal bilirubin and clotting. On a working diagnosis of acute fatty liver of pregnancy and with breech presentation, she underwent a caesarean section. Liver enzymes continued to deteriorate with a mild coagulopathy. A non-invasive liver screen and ultrasound did not reveal any significant abnormalities. She was discussed with the tertiary liver centre and started on a Nacetylcysteine infusion with some additional vitamin K. A few days later LFTs began to improve and she was discharged home with follow-up in the community. Her baby was treated with antibiotics for 5 days empirically due to the unknown nature of the transaminitis but remained well. Following further discussion with the tertiary centre, a diagnosis of acute liver injury secondary to COVID-19 was made. Discussion Extra-pulmonary features of COVID-19 have been reported in the literature. A number of theories have been postulated to describe the hepatic effects. This has mainly manifested itself as a transaminitis with varying outcomes. The prevalence in the obstetric population has been more sparsely reported but most isolated cases have been relatively self-limiting with positive outcomes [1]. This case also highlighted the diagnostic difficulties with other severe hepatic diseases of pregnancy. A handful of case reports have already described some of the crossover and difficulty in decisionmaking when these patients present acutely unwell to hospital [2]. The severity and rapid progression of some hepatic disorders in pregnancy not only warrants decisive decision-making but also involvement of the multidisciplinary team.