Liver injury associated with the severity of COVID-19: A meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: The current 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is a major threat to global health. It is currently uncertain whether and how liver injury affects the severity of COVID-19. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to determine the association between liver injury and the severity of COVID-19.

Methods: A systematic search of the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases from inception to August 12, 2022, was performed to analyse the reported liver chemistry data for patients diagnosed with COVID-19. The pooled odds ratio (OR), weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were assessed using a random-effects model. Furthermore, publication bias and sensitivity were analyzed.

Results: Forty-six studies with 28,663 patients were included. The pooled WMDs of alanine aminotransferase (WMD = 12.87 U/L, 95% CI: 10.52-15.23, I ² = 99.2%), aspartate aminotransferase (WMD = 13.98 U/L, 95% CI: 12.13-15.83, I ² = 98.2%), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (WMD = 20.67 U/L, 95% CI: 14.24-27.10, I ² = 98.8%), total bilirubin (WMD = 2.98 μmol/L, 95% CI: 1.98-3.99, I ² = 99.4%), and prothrombin time (WMD = 0.84 s, 95% CI: 0.46-1.23, I ² = 99.4%) were significantly higher and that of albumin was lower (WMD = -4.52 g/L, 95% CI: -6.28 to -2.75, I ² = 99.9%) in severe cases. Moreover, the pooled OR of mortality was higher in patients with liver injury (OR = 2.72, 95% CI: 1.18-6.27, I ² = 71.6%).

Conclusions: Hepatocellular injury, liver metabolic, and synthetic function abnormality were observed in severe COVID-19. From a clinical perspective, liver injury has potential as a prognostic biomarker for screening severely affected patients at early disease stages.

Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, Identifier: CRD42022325206.

Keywords: COVID-19; coronavirus; liver chemistry; liver injury; meta-analysis.