Liver dysfunction on admission worsens clinical manifestations and outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019

Background

Liver dysfunction was common in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but its association with clinical features and poor prognosis has not been fully delineated. Our study aimed to determine the role of liver dysfunction in COVID-19 and understand the predictors for worse outcomes in patients with liver injury.

Methods

We conducted this multicenter, retrospective study in five designated hospitals for COVID-19 management. Laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients were enrolled and classified into the normal live function group and liver dysfunction group according to liver enzymes, bilirubin, and albumin on admission, respectively. Data of baseline, clinical manifestations, and outcomes were collected and compared in the paired groups.

Results

Of the 649 included COVID-19 patients, 200 (30.8%), 69 (10.6%), and 267 (41.1%) patients had elevated liver enzymes, increased bilirubin, and low-level albumin, respectively. Fever, cough, and dyspnea were the most common symptoms and showed an increased proportion in the liver dysfunction group. Compared with patients in the normal liver function group, patients with liver dysfunction manifested decreased lymphocytes, higher level of leukocytes, neutrophils, inflammatory indicators, and cytokines, as well as more severe impairment in kidney function and myocardium. They were more likely to show bilateral involvement and more pulmonary lobes involved according to chest images. With increased proportion of patients who developed severe/critical conditions and needed mechanical ventilation and systemic glucocorticoid therapy, patients with liver dysfunction on admission showed significantly higher in-hospital mortality. Moreover, cardiac troponin I ≥1.5 ng/mL was identified as an independent mortality predictor in the elevated liver enzymes group.

Conclusion

Patients with liver dysfunction on admission had worse clinical manifestation, and resulted in higher rate of severe/critical type, receiving mechanical ventilation and in-hospital mortality.