COVID-19 and hepatic damage: what we know? A systematic review

Mameli, Simone;Marcialis, Maria Antonietta;Bassareo, Pier Paolo;Fanos, Vassilios

2023-01-01

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Abstract

Since the end of 2019, a new disease outbreak has been spreading worldwide, after starting from Wuhan, China. The viral pathogen responsible for the disease was named as SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2), and for the illness the acronym COVID-19 was coined (COronaVIrus Disease 2019). Viral pathogenesis, epidemiology, and clinics are still somewhat obscure, when occurring during childhood the most. This systematic review aims at evaluating the features of liver involvement and damage in course of COVID-19. An insight into what is known as to COVID-19 and hepatic damage in adulthood as well as paediatric age was given. All the most relevant papers up to 15/10/2020 were identified and discussed. Establishing whether liver damage is due to a direct viral action or host immune system inflammatory reaction or consequence of the administered drugs or secondary to another organ failure (for example the heart) is difficult. What is sure is the fact that liver function should be checked at the time of admission to hospital and during hospitalization. If hepatic markers are altered, a specific therapy to protect liver is needed.