Impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on liver disease

Sergio Salgüero Fernández; Pablo Gabriel Medina; Alejandro Almería Lafuente; María Antonieta Ballesteros Vizoso; Angielys Zamora Trillo; Gregori Casals Mercadal; Gemma Solé Enrech; Marta Lalana Garcés; Armando R Guerra Ruiz; Oihana Ortiz Pastor; Manuel Morales Ruiz

doi:10.1515/almed-2022-0037

Impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on liver disease

Adv Lab Med. 2022 Jun 2;3(2):126-141. doi: 10.1515/almed-2022-0037. eCollection 2022 Jun.

[Article in English, Spanish]

Authors

Sergio Salgüero Fernández^{1

2}, Pablo Gabriel Medina^{1

3}, Alejandro Almería Lafuente^{1

4}, María Antonieta Ballesteros Vizoso^{1

5}, Angielys Zamora Trillo^{1

6}, Gregori Casals Mercadal^{1

7}, Gemma Solé Enrech^{1

8}, Marta Lalana Garcés^{1

9}, Armando R Guerra Ruiz^{1

10}, Oihana Ortiz Pastor^{1

11}, Manuel Morales Ruiz^{1

12}

Affiliations

¹ Biochemistry of Liver Disease Commision-Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine (SEQC-ML), Alcorcon, Spain.
² Service of Clinical Analysis, Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain.
³ Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.
⁴ Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Hospital Royo Villanova, Zaragoza, Spain.
⁵ Service of Clinical Analysis, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
⁶ Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.
⁷ Service of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, CDB, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBEREHD, Barcelona, Spain.
⁸ Laboratory Service UDIAT-CD, Corporació Sanitaria Parc Taulí, Sabadell, Spain.
⁹ Service of Clinical Analysis, Hospital de Barbastro, Huesca, Spain.
¹⁰ Service of Clinical Analysis, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain.
¹¹ Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain.
¹² Service of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Department of Biomedicine of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBERehd, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.

Abstract

Introduction: Abnormal liver biochemistry is not a rare finding in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection, regardless of patients having pre-existing chronic disease or not.

Content: This review examines the current body of knowledge on the relationship between COVID-19 and liver injury, which is frequently found in this setting.

Summary: Although the pathogenesis of liver injury is not fully understood, it has been suggested to be the result of a combination of multiple factors. These include direct injury caused by the virus, immune system hyperactivation, ischemic and drug-induced injury. The prognostic valor of these alterations is also the subject of intense research. Due to their potential impact, these alterations require proper management and treatment, especially in patients with chronic liver disease or liver transplant recipients.

Outlook: Some aspects associated with liver injury during COVID-19, especially in severe presentations, are not well understood. Studies assessing the clinical impact of COVID-19 on the healthy or diseased liver may help adjust treatment and immunization guidelines to the profile of the patient.

Keywords: liver injury; transaminase; virus.

Publication types

Review