Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Research Article

Abnormal Liver Tests during Hospitalization Predict Mortality in Patients with COVID-19: A Multicenter Study from South America

Table 1

Clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 at the moment of admission.
VariableTotal (n = 298)No ALEx2 (n = 211)ALEx2 (n = 87) value
Age (years), mean (SD)59.7 (15.7)60.3 (16.4)58.2 (14)0.26
Gender (male), n (%)178 (59.7)114 (54)64 (73.6)0.002
Comorbidities, n (%)220 (73.8)163 (77.3)57 (65.5)0.036
Cardiovascular, n (%)70 (23.5)52 (24.6)18 (20.7)0.46
Pulmonary, n (%)34 (11.4)27 (12.8)7 (8)0.24
Kidney, n (%)22 (7.4)16 (7.6)6 (6.9)0.84
Obesity (BMI>35), n (%)56 (18.8)41 (19.4)15 (17.2)0.66
Diabetes, n (%)42 (14.1)30 (14.2)12 (13.8)0.92
Immunosuppression, n (%)15 (5)10 (4.7)5 (5.7)0.72
Chronic liver disease, n (%)21 (7)11 (5.2)10 (11.5)0.054
NAFLD, n (%)17 (5.7)9 (4.3)8 (9.2)0.095
Alcoholic, n (%)3 (1)2 (0.9)1 (1.1)0.87
Hepatitis C, n (%)2 (0.7)2 (0.9)0 (0)0.36
Cirrhosis, n (%)3 (1)1 (0.5)2 (2.3)0.43
Medications at admission, n (%)148 (50)106 (50.7)42 (48.2)0.70
NSAID, n (%)25 (8.4)19 (9)6 (6.9)0.55
Statins, n (%)22 (7.4)18 (8.5)4 (4.6)0.24
Antibiotics, n (%)101 (33.9)69 (32.7)32 (36.8)0.5
Acetaminophen, n (%)48 (16.1)35 (16.6)13 (14.9)0.73
Other, n (%)64 (21.5)46 (21.8)18 (20.7)0.83
Active smoker, n (%)39 (14.1)30 (15.1)9 (11.5)0.45
Symptoms
 Fever (38oC), n (%)195 (65.4)139 (65.9)56 (64.4)0.8
 Dyspnea, n (%)219 (73.5)152 (72)67 (77)0.38
 Cough, n (%)177 (59.4)119 (56.4)58 (66.7)0.1
 Diarrhea, n (%)50 (16.8)34 (16.1)16 (18.4)0.63
 Nausea/vomiting, n (%)22 (7.4)17 (8.1)5 (5.7)0.49
 Abdominal pain, n (%)23 (7.7)17 (8.1)6 (6.9)0.73
 Others, n (%)138 (46.3)103 (48.8)35 (40.2)0.18
Time from symptoms to hospitalization (days), median (IQR)7 (4–10)6 (3–9)7 (5–10)0.017
Hemoglobin (g/L), median (IQR)13.9 (12.4–15)13.7 (12.3–15)14.2 (12.9–15.1)0.14
WBC (x109/L), median (IQR)7.8 (5.6–11.4)7.8 (5.4–11.2)7.7 (6.2–12.5)0.57
Neutrophils/lymphocytes ratio5.9 (3.4–10.6)5.6 (3.2–10)7.4 (4.3–12.1)0.036
Platelets (x109/L), median (IQR)221 (164–280)226.5 (166–294)201.5 (145.8–265.3)0.033
Glucose at admission (mg/dL), median (IQR)123 (105–160.3)125 (106–163)119 (103–152)0.51
C-reactive protein (mg/L), median (IQR)16.3 (6.3–82)15 (5.5–79)18.4 (6.9–87.5)0.44
Procalcitonin (mg/L), median (IQR)0.15 (0.08–0.35)0.16 (0.09–0.48)0.15 (0.07–0.3)0.69
INR, median (IQR)1.07 (1–1.17)1.06 (1–1.18)1.07(1–1.17)0.85
D-dimer (mg/L), median (IQR)0.71 (0.33–2.12)0.64 (0.29–1.8)0.75 (0.42–4.4)0.08
Ferritin (mg/L), median (IQR)842 (509–1644)800 (446–1262)1127 (618–2522)0.004
LDH (U/L), median (IQR)396 (294–539)371 (289–514)454 (321–594)0.022
AST (U/L), median (IQR)41 (28–63)35.5 (24.5–48)74 (49–99)<0.001
ALT (U/L), median (IQR)42 (27–68.5)35 (23–49)93 (61–127)<0.001
GGT (U/L), median (IQR)50.5 (34–100.5)43 (28–56)142 (105–209)<0.001
ALP (U/L), median (IQR)86.5 (69–119)80 (65.3–104.3)108.5 (78–152.8)<0.001
Total bilirubin (mg/dL), median (IQR)0.53 (0.39–0.87)0.49 (0.31–0.71)0.63 (0.41–1.2)<0.001
Direct bilirubin (mg/dL), median (IQR)0.29 (0.19–0.47)0.22 (0.17–0.38)0.39 (0.23–0.7)<0.001
Albumin (g/dL), median (IQR)3.7 (3.2–4.1)3.8 (3.3–4.1)3.6 (2.9-4-2)0.29
Serum creatinine (mg/dL), median (IQR)0.87 (0.69–1.09)0.85 (0.69–1.08)0.87 (0.69–1.1)0.97
Sodium (mEq/L), median (IQR)137 (134–140)137 (134–140)137 (134–140)0.98
Potassium (MEq/L), median (IQR)4.03 (3.7–4.43)4 (3.7–4.4)4.18 (3.7–4.6)0.31
Radiological findings at admission
 Unilateral infiltrate, n (%)28 (9.4)25 (11.8)3 (3.4)0.024
 Bilateral infiltrate/consolidation, n (%)247 (82.9)168 (79.6)79 (90.8)0.02
ALEx2, abnormal liver enzymes >2 times over the upper limit of normal; BMI, body mass index; NAFLD, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; NSAID, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug; IQR, interquartile range; WBC, white blood cells; INR, international normalized ratio; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; GGT, gamma-glutamyl transferase; ALP, alkaline phosphatase.