EXAMINING HEPATORENAL ALTERATIONS IN COVID-19 PATIENTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR SEVERITY AND MORTALITY

Background: COVID-19 severity varies widely among individuals - from asymptomatic to acute respiratory distress cases (who require ventilation). The virus causes multi-organ damage, leading to significant variations in parameters controlled by these organs. We designed this study to check the effect of the COVID-19 virus on the hepatorenal health of patients. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 240 COVID-19 patients (divided into Moderate=186 and Severe=54) and 89 healthy individuals, serving as controls. After a post-COVID-19 follow-up of two months, all the patients were categorized into survivors (212) and non-survivors (28). Hepatic (ALT, AST, ALP, Total Bilirubin and AST/ALT) and renal (Creatinine, Uric acid and Albumin) parameters were assessed using biochemistry analyzer. Statistical analysis was conducted using the student “t” test and One-Way ANOVA through GraphPad Prism software. Results: Serum level of AST, ALT, ALP, and Total Bilirubin were considerably elevated in moderate and severe patient groups compared to the control group. Among the renal profiles, the serum creatinine level was also considerably higher (P=0.015). In contrast, Uric acid and albumin levels showed significant decrease in moderate and severe patient groups compared to the control group (P< 0.001). However, the comparison between survivors and non-survivors showed that serum AST, ALT, ALP, total bilirubin, and creatinine levels were significantly high for non-survivors. At the same time, uric acid and albumin levels were significantly low in non-survivors. Conclusion: The hepatic and renal profiles exhibited alterations linked with COVID-19 severity and mortality. It is recommended to monitor these organs during hospitalization to prevent the risk of multiple organ damage, acute medical complications and death even after recovery from coronavirus disease.