Non-pulmonary involvement in COVID-19: A systemic disease rather than a pure respiratory infection.

During the early phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), diagnosis was difficult due to the diversity in symptoms and imaging findings and the variability of disease presentation. Pulmonary manifestations are reportedly the main clinical presentations of COVID-19 patients. Scientists are working hard on a myriad of clinical, epidemiological, and biological aspects to better understand SARS-CoV-2 infection, aiming to mitigate the ongoing disaster. Many reports have documented the involvement of various body systems and organs apart from the respiratory tract including the gastrointestinal, liver, immune system, renal, and neurological systems. Such involvement will result in diverse presentations related to effects on these systems. Other presentations such as coagulation defects and cutaneous manifestation may also occur. Patients with specific comorbidities including obesity, diabetes, and hypertension have increased morbidity and mortality risks with COVID-19.

Liver transplantation during global COVID-19 pandemic.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory disease respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 has significantly impacted the health care systems globally. Liver transplantation (LT) has faced an unequivocal challenge during this unprecedented time. This targeted review aims to cover most of the clinical issues, challenges and concerns about LT during the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss the most updated literature on this rapidly emerging subject.

Can successful treatment by direct-acting antivirals improve depression in chronic HCV patients?

BACKGROUND: Depression is the most common extrahepatic neuropsychiatric manifestation in chronic hepatitis C (CHCV) and is due to direct neuropathogenic mechanisms. Our aim is to evaluate the effect of viral clearance by directly acting antivirals (DAAs) on depression in CHCV patients. METHODS: One hundred fifty chronic HCV patients eligible for DAAs were assessed for depression using the Beck depression inventory (BDI) scale at baseline, 1 and 3 months after end of treatment (EOT). BDI ≥10 reliable in detecting depression in CHCV. RESULTS: All included patients received Sofosbuvir/Dacltasvir ± Ribavirin for 12 weeks and all achieved sustained virological response (SVR). Baseline BDI of all included patients was 10 ± 5 then decreased to 5.3 ± 5 and 3.5 ± 4.5 at 1 and 3 months after EOT (P = 0.001), respectively. After EOT, 20 patients (13.3%) had BDI >10 which were 11.35 ± 6.5 and 13.3 ± 3.2 at 1 and 3 months (SVR), respectively. A comparison between patients with high and low BDI after EOT showed that patients with persistent high score were older (60.6 ± 9.5vs 52.2 ± 10.6, P = 0.001) and included higher percentage of females (50% vs 22.3%, P = 0.01). Also high BDI patients had higher baseline FIB4 (3 ± 1.6 vs 2 ± 1.3, P = 0.006) and included more patients with significant fibrosis (40% vs 17.7%, P = 0.05), as well as lower baseline hemoglobin (13.6 ± 1.5 vs 14.4 ± 1.65, P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Depression associated with CHCV improves after successful treatment with DAAs; however, it may persist in elderly females with significant fibrosis and low hemoglobin.

De novo hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic hepatitis C virus: Are directly acting antivirals beneficial?

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Behavior of HCC that developed after DAAs therapy for HCV infection is still debated. In this study we aim to compare characteristics and pattern of de novo HCC in cirrhotic HCV patients who were treated and untreated with DAAs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study included 160 cirrhotic HCV patients presented with de novo HCC during the period of December 2017 to December 2018. Patients were divided into two groups, group A included 80 patients who received DAAs and group B included 80 patients who were not exposed to DAAs. The characteristics of HCC in both groups were compared using BCLC Staging System. RESULTS: The size of the largest lesion was 47mm±26 in group A and 41mm±27 in group B with statistically significant difference between both groups (p=0.03). No other significant differences existed regarding number, site, or total tumor size and most of the lesions were solid in both groups. Portal vein thrombosis and extrahepatic spread detected in 16 and 11 patients in group A, while in group B the number was 17 and 9 patients respectively (p=0.83 and 0.06). No significant differences between groups in type of intervention done, BCLC staging (p=0.4), or survival. CONCLUSION: Although CHCV patients treated with DAAs had larger de novo HCC lesions than untreated patients, there was no difference in BCLC staging or in aggressive behavior between both groups.

Liver transplantation in the era of COVID-19.

Liver transplantation is considered the ultimate solution for patients with end-stage chronic liver disease or acute liver failure. Patients with liver transplant need special care starting from preoperative preparation, surgical intervention ending with postoperative care. Transplanted patients have to receive immunosuppressive therapy to prevent rejection. Such a state of immune suppression could predispose to different types of infections in liver transplant recipients. Currently, the world is suffering a pandemic caused by a new strain of the coronavirus family called COVID-19. Certain infection control precautions are needed to protect immunocompromised and vulnerable patients, including liver transplant candidates and recipients from acquiring COVID-19 infection. Restricting non-transplant elective surgical procedures, managing transplant patients in separate outpatient clinics, and in-patient wards can prevent transmission of infection both to patients and healthcare workers. Telemedicine can help in the triage of patients to screen for symptoms of COVID-19 before their regular appointment. Management of immunosuppressive therapy and drug-drug interactions in liver transplant recipients infected with COVID-19 should be cautiously practiced to prevent rejection and effectively treat the underlying infection. In this report, we are trying to summarize available evidence about different aspects of the management of liver transplant candidates and recipients in the era of COVID-19.

Retreatment of chronic hepatitis C patients who failed previous therapy with directly acting antivirals: A multicenter study.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The current study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of different DAAs regimens in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) Egyptian patients who failed to achieve SVR after their treatment with SOF-based regimens. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational multicenter study that included CHC patients that failed to achieve cure on SOF-based regimens who were re-treated using different DAAs regimen and were allocated according to national guidelines for the treatment of hepatitis C. Primary outcome was to assess the SVR12 rate among prior non-responders after retreatment with a second course of DAAs. RESULTS: Our study included 172 patients who failed to achieve SVR after treatment with SOF-based treatment regimen [age: 51.2 ± 11.3, 58.7% men]. Included patients were retreated using SOF/DCV/RBV, SOF/ r/PAR /OMB /RBV, SOF/DCV/SIM, SOF/LDV ± RBV or SIM/SOF. SVR12 was successfully attained in 95.35% (164/172) of the included non-responders. CONCLUSION: The current multicenter study proved the efficacy of various DAAs regimens issued by the National Committee for Control of Viral Hepatitis for retreatment of relapsed CHC Egyptian patients.