Outcomes following SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with chronic liver disease: an international registry study

Abstract

Background

Chronic liver disease (CLD) and cirrhosis are associated with immune dysregulation leading to concerns that these patients may be at risk of adverse outcomes following SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the impact of COVID-19 among patients with pre-existing liver disease remains ill-defined.

Methods

Data for CLD patients with SARS-CoV-2 were collected by two international registries. Comparisons were made with non-CLD patients with SARS-CoV-2 from a UK hospital network.

Results

Between 25th March and 8th July 2020, 745 CLD patients were reported from 29 countries including 386 with cirrhosis and 359 without. Mortality was 32% in patients with cirrhosis compared with 8% in those without (p<0.001). Mortality in cirrhosis patients increased according to Child-Turcotte-Pugh class (CTP-A (19%), CTP-B (35%), CTP-C (51%)) and the main cause of death was respiratory failure (71%). After adjusting for baseline characteristics, factors associated with death in the total CLD cohort were age (OR 1.02; 1.01–1.04), CTP-A (OR 1.90; 1.03–3.52), CTP-B (OR 4.14; 2.4–7.65), CTP-C cirrhosis (OR 9.32; 4.80–18.08) and alcohol related liver disease (ALD) (OR 1.79; 1.03–3.13). When comparing CLD versus non-CLD (n=620) in propensity-score-matched analysis there were significant increases in mortality with CTP-B +20.0% (8.8%–31.3%) and CTP-C cirrhosis +38.1% (27.1%–49.2%). Acute hepatic decompensation occurred in 46% of patients with cirrhosis, of which 21% had no respiratory symptoms. 50% of those with hepatic decompensation had acute-on-chronic liver failure.

Conclusions

This is the largest reported cohort of CLD and cirrhosis patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection to date. We demonstrate that baseline liver disease stage and ALD are independent risk factor for death from COVID-19. These data have important implications for the risk stratification of patients with CLD across the globe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Graphical abstract

Highlights

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  Patients with cirrhosis have high rates of hepatic decompensation and death following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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  Mortality increased in step-wise fashion according to Child-Turcotte-Pugh class.

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  Other risk factors for death included advancing age and alcohol-related liver disease.

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  Patients with advanced cirrhosis had increased risk of mortality compared to propensity-score-matched patients without liver disease.

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  The majority of deaths in cirrhosis patients were from COVID-19 lung disease.

Abstract

This international registry study demonstrates that patients with cirrhosis are at increased risk of death from COVID-19. Mortality from COVID-19 was particularly high among patients with more advanced cirrhosis and those with alcohol-related liver disease.