Hepatic steatosis: a risk factor for increased COVID-19 prevalence and severity—a computed tomography study

Theodor Bilharz Research Institute

Bibliographic Information

Authors: Ali A.; Hasan M.; Hamed S.; Elhamy A.

Journal: Egyptian Liver Journal

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH

Publication Date: 12 July 2021

Volume / Issue: Volume 11 / Issue 1

Article No.: 61

ISSN: 20906218

DOI: 10.1186/s43066-021-00131-6

Scopus: View on Scopus

Document Type: Article

Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access; Green Open Access

Authors and Affiliations

Ali A., Theodor Bilharz Institute, Kornish Elnil, Embaba, Giza, Egypt; Hasan M., Theodor Bilharz Institute, Kornish Elnil, Embaba, Giza, Egypt; Hamed S., Theodor Bilharz Institute, Kornish Elnil, Embaba, Giza, Egypt; Elhamy A., Theodor Bilharz Institute, Kornish Elnil, Embaba, Giza, Egypt

Abstract

Background: Around 25% of the world population was affected by the metabolic-related fatty liver disorder. Hepatic steatosis is frequently observed in conjunction with hypertension, obesity comorbidities, and diabetes. We evaluate the hepatic steatosis frequency found in chest CT exams of COVID-19-positive cases compared to non-infected controls and evaluate the related increased prevalence and severity of COVID. Results: Our research includes 355 subjects, 158 with positive PCR for COVID-19 (case group) and 197 with negative PCR and negative CT chest (control group). The mean age in the positive group was 50.6 ± 16 years, and in the control, it was 41.3 ± 16 years (p < 0.001). Our study consists of 321 men (90.5%) and 34 women (9.5%). The number of males in both cases and control groups was greater. In the case group, 93% men vs. 6.9% women, while in controls, 88.3% men vs.11.6% women, p < 0.001. CT revealed normal results in 55.5% of individuals (i.e., CORADs 1) and abnormal findings in 45.5% of participants (i.e., CORADs 2–5). In abnormal scan, CO-RADs 2 was 13.92%, while CO-RADs 3–4 were 20.89% of cases. CO-RADs 5 comprised 65.19% of all cases. Approximately 42.6% of cases had severe disease (CT score ≥ 20), all of them were CO-RADs 5. The PCR-positive class had a greater prevalence of hepatic steatosis than controls (28.5% vs.12.2%, p < 0.001). CO-RADs 2 represented 11.1%, CO-RADs 3–4 represented 15.6%, and CO-RADs 5 represented 73.3% in the hepatic steatosis cases. The mean hepatic attenuation value in the case group was 46.79 ± 12.68 and in the control group 53.34 ± 10.28 (p < 0.001). When comparing patients with a higher severity score (CT score ≥ 20) to those with non-severe pneumonia, it was discovered that hepatic steatosis is more prevalent (73.2% vs. 26.8%). Conclusions: Steatosis was shown to be substantially more prevalent in COVID-19-positive individuals. There is a relation among metabolic syndrome, steatosis of the liver, and obesity, as well as the COVID-19 severity. © 2021, The Author(s).

Keywords

Computed tomography; COVID-19; Fatty liver

Citation Information

Scopus Citations: 5

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