Table 3.
Comparison of clinical and biochemical characteristics of cirrhotic patients at last visit∗ and at SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis.
| Variables | Before COVID-19° | At COVID-19 diagnosis | p value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albumin, g/dl | 3.4 (3.2–3.9) | 2.8 (2.6–3.2) | 0.0003 |
| Bilirubin, mg/dl | 1.3 (0.8–2.8) | 1.8 (0.8–3.8) | 0.026 |
| INR | 1.2 (1.1–1.6) | 1.3 (1.1–1.7) | 0.042 |
| Ascites | 17 (34) | 19 (38) | 0.621 |
| Encephalopathy | 9 (18) | 19 (38) | 0.025 |
| PLT | |||
| count/mm3 | 115,000 (76,500–159,250) | 111,500 (61,000–171,750) | 0.197 |
| ≤50,000/mm3 | 7/44 (16) | 11 (22) | 0.425 |
| WBC | |||
| count/mm3 | 4,500 (3,973–6,510) | 5,680 (4,100–8,370) | 0.559 |
| ≥10,000/mm3 | 6/44 (14) | 10/49 (20) | 0.387 |
| ≤4,000/mm3 | 11/44 (25) | 11/49 (22) | 0.773 |
| Lymphocyte | |||
| count/mm3 | 1,157 (955–1,573) | 995 (638–1,380) | 0.067 |
| ≤1,500/mm3 | 23/34 (68) | 37/48 (77) | 0.342 |
| AST | |||
| U/L | 33 (25–68) | 48 (35–87) | 0.176 |
| >40 U/L | 15/43 (35) | 32/48 (67) | 0.002 |
| ALT | |||
| U/L | 31 (24–51) | 54 (24–85) | 0.024 |
| >40 U/L | 18/45 (40) | 29 (58) | 0.003 |
| Creatinine, mg/dl | 1.0 (0.8–1.3) | 1.1 (0.8–1.6) | 0.007 |
| Child-Pugh score: | 0.05 | ||
| A (5-6) | 26 (52) | 20 (40) | |
| B (7-9) | 18 (36) | 14 (28) | |
| C (10-15) | 6 (12) | 16 (33) | |
| MELD score | 6 (6–9) | 9 (6–15) | 0.0003 |
| MELD score ≥15 | 5 (10) | 13 (26) | 0.037 |
Values are reported as n (%) or median (IQR). Categorical variables have been compared using the χ2 test, continuous variables have been compared using the Student's t test, all tests were 2-sided and used a significance level of 0.05.
At last outpatient visit or at hospital admission (if SARS-CoV-2 diagnosed during hospitalization). °Last available outpatient visit or inpatients data before SARS-CoV-2 infection. ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; INR, international normalized ratio; MELD, model for end-stage liver disease; PLT, platelets; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2; WBC, white blood cell.