Liver Related Predictors Of Outcome In Covid-19 Illness

Background: The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), commonly known as COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019), has resulted in the most significant pandemic of the 21st century We sought to determine demographic and hepatic laboratory parameters that best predicted the severity of illness in patients infected with COVID-19 Methods: In this multicenter retrospective study, we analyzed patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection who presented to the emergency department or admitted to an inpatient unit between March and May 2020 The following variables were included as predictors - age, body mass index (BMI), gender, total bilirubin, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase, albumin and international normalized ratio (INR) The four outcome measures used to assess disease severity were duration of hospitalization, supplemental oxygen requirement, mechanical ventilation requirement, and mortality If the p-value of the independent variable was less than 0 05, then the parameters were considered as an independent predictor associated with the respective outcome variable Predictors of oxygen requirement, mechanical ventilation and death were analyzed by logistic regression The duration of hospitalization was analyzed by Poisson regression Results: Three hundred and thirty-eight patients with confirmed COVID-19 were enrolled (median age 49 1 years, male to female ratio of 1:1) Elevated liver enzymes (AST, ALT, alkaline phosphatase), bilirubin, and INR were significantly associated with the duration of hospital stay Hypoalbuminemia was significantly associated with increased length of hospitalization, supplemental oxygen, and mechanical ventilation requirements Obesity (BMI ≥ 30) is a non-liver parameter that was significantly related to the mechanical ventilation requirement No liver parameter was significantly associated with mortality Results were summarized in table 1 Conclusion: Our research found that COVID-19 patients with hypoalbuminemia have a higher chance of supplemental oxygen requirement, mechanical ventilation requirement, and increased length of hospitalization An abnormal liver test was associated with increased length of hospitalization However, none of the variables were significantly associated with mortality in our analysis