• Ana Isabel Ferreira, Maria Helena Sarmento, and Jorge Cotter.
• Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital Senhora da Oliveira-Guimarães, Rua dos Cutileiros 114, Creixomil, 4835-044, Guimarães, Portugal. ai.voferreira@gmail.com.
• Intern Emerg Med. 2022 Nov 1; 17 (8): 220922172209-2217.

AbstractChronic liver disease is associated with immune system dysfunction, which can lead to a greater risk of infections. Our goal was to assess the impact of chronic liver disease in Covid-19 outcome in hospitalized patients and to identify predictors of the infection's severity. A retrospective case-control study of adult patients hospitalized in Hospital da Senhora da Oliveira-Guimarães, between March 15th 2020 and March 15th 2021, was performed. Demographic factors, clinical and biochemical data were analyzed, as well as the need for oxygen therapy, non-invasive or mechanical ventilation, admission in the intensive care unit and mortality. A total of 336 patients were included, 168 with and 168 without chronic liver disease, with similar comorbidities and pulmonary involvement. Patients with chronic liver disease had a lower percentage of need for oxygen therapy. Regardless of the presence of chronic liver disease, older age, a previously diagnosed pulmonary disease or cardiac condition and more than 25% pulmonary involvement were associated with increased mortality. The need for non-invasive ventilation was higher if the patient was obese, had a previously diagnosed pulmonary disease or had a higher percentage of lung parenchyma involvement. The need for admission in the intensive care unit was associated with obesity and a greater than 25% pulmonary involvement. Chronic liver disease had no impact on Covid-19 severity. Regardless of the presence of chronic liver disease, obesity had an important role in all outcomes except mortality. A higher percentage of lung parenchyma involvement was associated with worst outcomes.© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Medicina Interna (SIMI).

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