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Multicenter study of some liver and heart function tests in SARS-Cov-2 patients from three ethnic groups in Iran
Seyed Majid Fatahi1, Hadi Razavi Nikoo2,3, Ali Safarzadeh4
1Khorramabad, Iran Student Research Committee, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences.
Insights
COVID-19 can affect liver and heart function, increasing mortality risk. This study found Fars individuals are more susceptible to COVID-19-related liver and heart damage, highlighting the need for targeted monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Internal Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Cardiology
- Hepatology
Background:
- COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) is associated with potential liver and cardiovascular complications, increasing patient mortality.
- Elevated liver enzymes (ALT, AST, LDH) and cardiac markers (AST, LDH, CPK) can indicate hepatic and cardiac injury, respectively.
- Understanding these complications is crucial for improving patient outcomes in COVID-19.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare hepatic and cardiac function parameters in COVID-19 patients versus healthy individuals.
- To assess clinical characteristics and ethnic differences in relation to COVID-19-related organ damage.
- To investigate the association between COVID-19 infection and age, blood sugar, and liver/cardiac enzyme levels.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 366 individuals, divided into COVID-19 patients and a healthy control group.
- Examination of hepatic function parameters (ALT) and cardiac function parameters (AST, LDH, CPK).
- Assessment of clinical characteristics, including age, blood sugar, and ethnicity (Fars individuals).
Main Results:
- COVID-19 patients were significantly older than the control group (P < 0.001).
- No significant differences were observed in blood sugar, ALT, CPK, LDH, or AST levels between the groups, except for a higher susceptibility to liver and heart damage in Fars individuals.
- While mean ALT was higher in COVID-19 patients, the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.318).
Conclusions:
- COVID-19 infection is linked to aging and potentially specific ethnic predispositions (Fars individuals) for liver and cardiac damage.
- Despite the known risks, this study did not find significant differences in most measured hepatic and cardiac parameters between COVID-19 patients and controls.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on cardiac and hepatic functions and to confirm ethnic-specific susceptibility.
Abstract:
The liver and cardiovascular system disorders are not common in COVID-19 patients, but the patients suffering from these complications are exposed to a higher rate of mortality and disease progression. Hepatic injuries can drive to increased levels of liver enzymes, including ALT, AST, and LDH. Abundant levels of AST, LDH, and CPK can be indicators of cardiac injuries. The current study comparise 366 individuals who are divided into COVID-19 patients and healthy individuals groups, in which we have examined hepatic and cardiac function parameters. Moreover, the clinical characteristics of the participants, ethnicities, and their difference with studied parameters were assessed. The results showed Fars individuals are more susceptible to the disease progression, including liver and heart damage. COVID-19 infection is associated with aging, which indicates that the mean age of the case group is ten years older than the control group (P < 0.001). The blood sugar in the case group (140.50) was higher than in the control group (131.66), although there was no difference between the infection and BS (P = 0.505). Similarly, the increased- mean of the ALT level in the case group (102.369) compared with the control group (68.324) resulted in no significant difference (P = 0.318). Other parameters, including CPK, LDH, and AST showed an increase in the control group values compared to the case group; however, the differences were not significant (P = 0.264, P = 0.795, P = 0.417). Considering the involvement of cardiac and hepatic organs by SARS-CoV-2, paying particular attention to the disorders of these organs through assessing the hepatic and cardiac function parameters can enhance the patient's recovery and survival. However, in this study, we not observed significant differences, except for the Fars people. There is need for further assessment of this issue.
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