People suffering from liver diseases more at risk from COVID-19 - study

• Author: JERUSALEM POST STAFF
• Published date: 17 January 2021
• Date: 17 January 2021
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

The research studied 382 patients beginning in the first wave of coronavirus in Israel up until the end of May 2020.

The doctors conducting the research found that there was at least a 50% increase on liver enzymes, with several causes.

"It's possible that the coronavirus damages the liver similarly to the way in which it attacks the lungs," said Professor Ziv Ben Ari, head of the the Center for Liver Diseases at Sheba Medical Center.

"It is also possible that the damage to the liver is done by the medicine given to the patient to treat COVID-19 or an immunological reaction caused by the virus, which causes a Cytokine storm which causes a liver infection."

"The study showed that roughly two thirds of the 382 patients there was an increase of liver enzymes, which was more drastic the more severe the condition of the patient suffering from...