Risk of severe illness of COVID‐19 patients with NAFLD and increased NAFLD fibrosis scores

Abstract

<div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="jcla23880-sec-0001"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d4732619e633">Background</h5> <p id="d4732619e635">There is still little knowledge about the association of liver fibrosis with the clinical outcomes of COVID‐19 patients with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of the study was to determine the association of NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS)–determined liver fibrosis with clinical outcomes of COVID‐19 patients with NAFLD. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="jcla23880-sec-0002"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d4732619e638">Methods</h5> <p id="d4732619e640">The NAFLD was diagnosed by the Hepatic Steatosis Index (HSI) in the absence of other causes of chronic liver diseases. NFS was used to evaluate the severity of liver fibrosis. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="jcla23880-sec-0003"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d4732619e643">Results</h5> <p id="d4732619e645">A total of 86 COVID‐19 patients with NAFLD were included. The median age was 43.5 years, and 58.1% of patients were male. Thirty‐eight (44.2%) patients had advanced liver fibrosis according to the NFS. Multivariate analysis indicated that concurrent diabetes (odds ratio [OR] 8.264, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.202–56.830, <i>p</i> = 0.032) and advanced liver fibrosis (OR 11.057, 95% CI 1.193–102.439, <i>p</i> = 0.034) were independent risk factors of severe illness in COVID‐19 patients with NAFLD. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="jcla23880-sec-0004"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d4732619e654">Conclusion</h5> <p id="d4732619e656">NAFLD patients with NFS‐determined advanced liver fibrosis are at higher risk of severe COVID‐19. </p> </div><p class="first" id="d4732619e659">Concurrent with NAFLD is common in COVID‐19 patients. The presence of advanced liver fibrosis was an independent risk factor of severe illness in COVID‐19 patients with NAFLD. <div class="boxed-text panel" id="jcla23880-blkfxd-0001"> <a class="named-anchor" id="jcla23880-blkfxd-0001"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <div class="figure-container so-text-align-c"> <img alt="" class="figure" src="/document_file/6057669f-09f2-4f5e-8b85-9aa58017aae2/PubMedCentral/image/JCLA-35-e23880-g001.jpg"/> </div> <div class="panel-content"/> </div> </p>