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J Med Virol
. 2020 May 23.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.26055. Online ahead of print.
COVID-19 and Liver Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Retrospective Studies
Mohanad Youssef 1 , Mohammad Hussein 1 , Abdallah S Attia 1 , Rami Elshazli 2 , Mahmoud Omar 1 , Ghassan Zora 1 , Ashraf Farhoud 1 , Ahmad Elnahla 1 , Areej Shihabi 1 , Eman Toraih 1 3 , Manal Fawzy 4 5 , Emad Kandil 6
Affiliations
- PMID: 32445489
- DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26055
Abstract
Background: Recently, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is the most significant global health crisis. In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis to find the association between liver injuries and the severity of COVID-19 disease.
Methods: Online databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Science direct, were searched to detect relevant publications up to April 16, 2020. Depending on the heterogeneity between studies, a fixed- or random-effects model was applied to pool data. Publication bias Egger's test was also performed.
Results: Meta-analysis of 20 retrospective studies (3428 patients), identified that patients with a severe manifestation of COVID-19 exhibited significantly higher levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and bilirubin values with prolonged prothrombin time. Furthermore, lower albumin level was associated with a severe presentation of COVID-19.
Conclusion: Liver dysfunction was associated with a severe outcome of COVID-19 disease. Close monitoring of the occurrence of liver dysfunction is beneficial in early warning of unfavorable outcomes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; liver function; meta-analysis; outcome.