SARS-CoV-2 infection and liver involvement.

Mingjia Luo, Maria Pilar Ballester, Ugo Soffientini, Rajiv Jalan, Gautam Mehta
Author Information
  1. Mingjia Luo: Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK.
  2. Maria Pilar Ballester: Digestive Disease Department, Hospital Clínic, Universitario de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
  3. Ugo Soffientini: The Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology, Foundation for Liver Research, London, UK.
  4. Rajiv Jalan: Liver Failure Group, UCL Medical School, Institute for Liver and Disease Health, University College London, Royal Free Campus, Rowland Hill Street, London, NW3 2PF, UK.
  5. Gautam Mehta: The Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology, Foundation for Liver Research, London, UK. gautam.mehta@ucl.ac.uk. ORCID

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic is the largest public health challenge in living memory. Patients with underlying liver disease have been disproportionately affected, experiencing high morbidity and mortality. In addition, elevated liver enzymes appear to be a risk factor for disease progression, even in the absence of underlying liver disease. Nevertheless, the mechanism of liver injury in SARS-CoV-2 infection remains largely unknown. This review aims to provide an overview of the mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 induces liver injury, and the impact of COVID-19 on cirrhosis, alcohol-related liver disease, autoimmune liver disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hepatitis B and C virus infection, liver-transplant recipients and patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Finally, emerging data on vaccination in liver diseases is discussed, to help inform public health policy.

Keywords

References

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Grants

  1. CM19/00011/Instituto de Salud Carlos III

MeSH Term

COVID-19
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular
Humans
Liver Neoplasms
Pandemics
SARS-CoV-2

Word Cloud

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