COVID-19 and the Liver: A Complex and Evolving Picture

Hepat Med. 2023 Nov 7:15:209-220. doi: 10.2147/HMER.S384172. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Although the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) primarily attacks the respiratory system, other organs, such as the liver, are also affected. In this overview, the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the liver in both healthy people and in those with pre-existing liver disease are documented; the relationship between coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) vaccination and liver injury is examined; the mechanism of SARS-CoV-2-associated liver injury is explored; and the long-term consequences of COVID-19 are delineated, both in people with and without pre-existing liver disease.

Keywords: COVID-19; COVID-19 liver disease; SARS-CoV-2; pathophysiology.