DISCOVERIES REPORTS (ISSN 2393249X), 2021, volume 4
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CITATION: Kamwal C, Shivakumar J, Bhattarai S, Peethambar G, Gor D, Sama S, Kishore M, Karam A, Garimella V, Salvador R, Bhatt KP, Avila M, Nasiff L, Selub S, Michel G. COVID-19 impact on pre-existing liver pathologies. Discoveries Reports 2021; 4(3): e25. DOI: 10.15190/drep.2021.10 Submitted: Aug. 03, 2021; Revised: Oct. 05, 2021; Accepted: Dec. 11, 2021; Published: Dec. 31, 2021.
COVID-19 impact on pre-existing liver pathologies
Chhaya Kamwal1, Jeevan Shivakumar1, Sanket Bhattarai1, Gowri Peethambar (1), Dhairya Gor (2), Srikar Sama (1), Mehwish Kishore (1), Alvina Karam (3), Vamsi Garimella (4), Romarie Salvador (1), Kinal Paresh Bhatt (1,*), Mark Avila (5), Luis Nasiff (5), Steven Selub (5), George Michel (5)
(1) Division of Clinical and Translational, Larkin Health System, South Miami, FL, USA
(2) Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune City, NJ, USA
(3) Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, Khyber, Pakistan
(4) University of Miami Holy Cross Hospital, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
(5) Larkin Community Hospital, South Miami, FL, USA
* Corresponding author: Kinal Paresh Bhatt, MD, MPH, Division of Clinical and Translational, Larkin Health System, 7031 SW 62nd Ave, South Miami, FL 33124, USA; Phone: (928) 225 0273; Email: kinalbhatt@gmail.com
Abstract
Liver damage in patients with COVID-19 may be due to multiple factors ranging from direct viral entry into hepatocytes, pneumonia-induced hypoxia, immune-mediated hepatitis, and drug-induced hepatotoxicity. The impact of COVID-19 on the liver is discussed in a wide range of studies. Even though the respiratory system has been identified as the target organ to be involved with this infection, recent reports showed that about 2-11% of patients with COVID-19 had underlying chronic liver disease. This further emphasizes that there is a need for more research on the subject. This article explores how SARS-COV-2 infection has affected the course of hepatocellular carcinoma, autoimmune hepatitis, and hepatitis B and C infection in terms of risk of acquisition of the disease, diagnosis, treatment, and treatment and prevention modalities of these diseases.
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