Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41081074›Full record

ReviewPrzeglad gastroenterologiczny2025

The effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the liver function tests: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

Katarzyna Kotfis, Piotr Szredzki, Dominika Maciejewska-Markiewicz, Joanna Sołek-Pastuszka, Hanna Wiśniewska, Luis F Lara, Maria Marlicz, Mariusz Kaczmarczyk, Michał Kukla, Anna Belina and 11 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Przeglad gastroenterologiczny, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Hepatic involvement in major respiratory viral infections.Clinical and experimental hepatology · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

21 authors.

Katarzyna KotfisDepartment of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Management, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
Piotr SzredzkiDepartment of Surgery, Endoscopy Unit, University of Rzeszow, Poland.
Dominika Maciejewska-MarkiewiczDepartment of Human Nutrition and Metabolomics, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
Joanna Sołek-PastuszkaDepartment of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
Hanna WiśniewskaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
Luis F LaraDivision of Digestive Diseases, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Maria MarliczDepartment of Biochemical Science, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
Mariusz KaczmarczykDepartment of Biochemical Science, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
Michał KuklaDepartment of Internal Diseases and Gerontology, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.
Anna BelinaDepartment of Surgery, Endoscopy Unit, University of Rzeszow, Poland.
George KoulaouzidisDepartment of Biochemical Science, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
Marta SyczewskaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
Karolina JakubczykDepartment of Human Nutrition and Metabolomics, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
Natalia EkstedtDepartment of Biochemical Science, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
Ewa StachowskaDepartment of Human Nutrition and Metabolomics, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
Magdalena KaniewskaDepartment of Internal Diseases and Gastroenterology with Subdivision for the Treatment of Non-Specific Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, Warsaw, Poland.
Grażyna RydzewskaDepartment of Internal Diseases and Gastroenterology with Subdivision for the Treatment of Non-Specific Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, Warsaw, Poland.
Igor ŁoniewskiDepartment of Biochemical Science, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
Anastasios KoulaouzidisDepartment of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Wojciech MarliczDepartment of Gastroenterology, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
Karolina Skonieczna-ŻydeckaDepartment of Biochemical Science, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 infection has been associated with respiratory distress syndrome and hepatic injury. The mechanism of liver injury is not fully understood and may be a combined effect of viral hepatitis, systemic inflammation, gut barrier disruption, microbiome alterations or drug toxicity. Aim: We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine whether SARS-CoV-2 infection affects the level of liver-produced molecules: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyl transferase (GGTP), bilirubin, total protein, albumin, and prothrombin (with INR). Methods: Ten authors independently searched PubMed and Embase from their inception until 04/03/2021 for observational studies to evaluate whether SARS CoV-2 infection influences the level of liver-produced molecules. This early search aimed to capture changes associated with the initial variants of SARS-CoV-2 before widespread vaccination efforts. Full-text studies in adult humans in which the aim was liver damage were included. Eligible studies included adult populations with more than 30 subjects, and the analysis adhered to PRISMA guidelines. Data extraction involved a thorough process to ensure accuracy, with inconsistencies resolved by senior clinicians. Statistical analysis was conducted using random effects meta-analysis of outcomes for which ≥ 2 studies contributed data, and the risk of bias was assessed using the New Ottawa Scale. The study protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42021242958). Results: The initial search yielded 3180 hits. 2644 studies were excluded as duplicates and/or after evaluation on the title/abstract level. No additional articles were identified via hand search. There were 536 full-text articles reviewed. Overall, the search strategy yielded 252 studies that were included in the meta-analysis. Conclusions: The overall mean liver parameter values were not altered compared to physiological values, except for GGTP, lactate dehydrogenase activity, and INR values. In the case of AST, ALT and albumin levels, mean point estimates were close to limit values of standards. SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers gut barrier defects, which results in transient elevation of liver enzymes and clotting times.

Indexed as

coronavirusinjurylivervirus

Identifiers

PMID41081074
PMCPMC12508384

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.