Published online Mar 6, 2021. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i7.1554
Peer-review started: August 11, 2020
First decision: December 14, 2020
Revised: December 18, 2020
Accepted: December 30, 2020
Article in press: December 30, 2020
Published online: March 6, 2021
Processing time: 201 Days and 19.9 Hours
Some patients with the novel 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) display elevated liver enzymes. Some antiviral drugs that can be used against COVID-19 are associated with a risk of hepatotoxicity.
To analyze the clinical significance of the dynamic monitoring of the liver function of patients with COVID-19.
The main objectives of this retrospective trial study was to analyze the clinical significance of the dynamic monitoring of the liver function of patients with COVID-19.
We retrospectively analyzed the liver indexes of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in our hospital. The serum levels of alanine amino-transferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyltransferase, and total bilirubin of patients with COVID-19 were measured on days 1, 3, 7, and 14 after admission, and compared to non-COVID-19 patents. We analyzed the dynamic changes in liver function index before and after treatment.
There were no significant differences found in albumin, ALT, AST, γ-glutamyltransferase, and total bilirubin between the controls and the patients with COVID-19 on day 1 of hospitalization (all P > 0.05). Serum albumin showed a decreasing trend from days 0 to 7 of hospitalization, reaching the lowest level on day 7. Total bilirubin was higher on day 3 than on day 7. ALT, AST, and γ-glutamyltransferase did not change significantly over time. The severe patient was observed to have ALT levels of 67 U/L and AST levels of 75 U/L on day 7, ALT of 71 U/L and AST of 35 U/L on day 14, and ALT of 210 U/L and AST of 123 U/L on day 21.
Changes in serum liver function indicators are not obvious in the early stage of COVID-19, but clinically significant changes might be observed in severe COVID-19.
Close monitoring on the liver function in severe patients can allow timely intervention for liver damage, help organ function recovery, and avoid deterioration of liver function.