World J Hepatol . COVID-19 and liver disease: Are we missing something?

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World J Hepatol


. 2022 Feb 27;14(2):479-481.
doi: 10.4254/wjh.v14.i2.479.
COVID-19 and liver disease: Are we missing something?


Tarana Gupta ¹



Affiliations

• PMID: 35317182
• PMCID: PMC8891679
• DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v14.i2.479

Abstract

Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has hit the world as a pandemic, researchers all over the world have worked on its diagnostics, prognosticating factors, etc. The present study showed liver enzymes, especially aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, to be high in non-survivors with raised AST/alanine aminotransferase ratio. Considering the non-specific nature of AST with its presence in organs other than liver such as muscle, heart, kidney and brain makes it difficult to interpret. Even pre-existing metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are confounding factors for deranged liver functions detected during COVID-19 disease. Therefore, the results of the study should be taken with caution.

Keywords: COVID-19; Cholangiocytes; Hepatocytes; Liver disease; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Transaminases.