2021-03-09

Department of Internal Medicine, Yuma Regional Medicine, Yuma, AZ, USA.; Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.; Department of Internal Medicine, Abrazo Central Campus, Phoenix, AZ, USA.; American University of Antigua, Jabberwock Road, Osbourn, Antigua & Barbuda, USA.; Department of Neurosciences and Internal Medicine, University of California School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA.; Department of Internal Medicine, Larkin Community Hospital, FL, USA.; Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA.; Department of Internal Medicine, Loyola University, Chicago, IL, USA.; Department of Internal Medicine, Swedish Covenant Hospital, Chicago, IL, USA.; Department of Internal Medicine, Jackson Park Hospital, Chicago, IL, USA.; Department of Internal Medicine, Hackensack Ocean Medical Center, Brick Township, NJ, USA.; Clinical Research Program, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA.; Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.; Department of Internal Medicine, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Scranton, PA, USA.; Department of Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA.; Department of Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA. Electronic address: pmalik.ma@gmail.com.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been a challenge globally. In severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic 60% of patients had hepatic injury, due to phylogenetic similarities of the viruses it is assumed that COVID-19 is associated with acute liver injury. In this meta-analysis, we aim to study the occurrence and association of liver injury, comorbid liver disease and elevated liver enzymes in COVID-19 confirmed hospitalizations with outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from observational studies describing comorbid chronic liver disease, acute liver injury, elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and outcomes of COVID-19 hospitalized patients from December 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020 was extracted following PRISMA guidelines. Adverse outcomes were defined as admission to intensive care unit (ICU), oxygen saturation <90%, invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), severe disease and in-hospital