Impact of COVID-19 on Liver Functions Tests in Egyptian Patients with or without Chronic Liver Disease

Abstract

significantly more gastrointestinal tract symptoms than group 1 (p =0.033). Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin, direct bilirubin and international normalized ratio (INR) after infection were significantly higher than before infection in both groups (p <0.001). Group 2 had significantly higher mortality rate (47%) than group 1 (32%) (P= 0.02). MELD score was significantly higher in died patients than recovered patients in group 2 (p <0.001). After COVID-19 infection, hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and aggravation of ascites was found in 34% and 36% of patients in group 2. Conclusion: COVID-19 infection can cause liver function abnormalities in both cases with and without CLD with aggravation of ascites and HE development in cirrhotic patients.