Background/Aims@#Although coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly worldwide, the implication of pre-existing
liver disease on the outcome of COVID-19 remains unresolved. @*
Methods@#A total of 1,005
patients who were admitted to five
tertiary hospitals in
South Korea with
laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 were included in this study. Clinical outcomes in COVID-19
patients with coexisting
liver disease as well as the predictors of
disease severity and
mortality of COVID-19 were assessed. @*Results@#Of the 47
patients (4.7%)
who had
liver-related comorbidities, 14
patients (1.4%) had
liver cirrhosis.
Liver cirrhosis was more common in COVID-19
patients with severe
pneumonia than in those with non-severe
pneumonia (4.5% vs. 0.9%, P=0.006). Compared to
patients without
liver cirrhosis, a higher proportion of
patients with
liver cirrhosis required
oxygen therapy; were admitted to the
intensive care unit; had
septic shock,
acute respiratory distress syndrome, or
acute kidney injury; and died (P @*Conclusions@#This study suggests
liver cirrhosis is a significant
risk factor for COVID-19. Stronger
personal protection and more intensive
treatment for COVID-19 are recommended in these
patients.