TABLE 1.
Baseline characteristics of COVID‐19 patients stratified by MAFLD status
| Overall n = 130 | Without MAFLD n = 65 | With MAFLD n = 65 | P value † | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | ||||
| Age, years | 46 ± 13 | 47 ± 13 | 46 ± 13 | 0.530 (matched) |
| 18–39 years, n (%) | 36 (27.7%) | 18 (27.7%) | 18 (27.7%) | 0.999 (matched) |
| 40–59 years, n (%) | 72 (55.4%) | 36 (55.4%) | 36 (55.4%) | |
| 60–75 years, n (%) | 22 (16.9%) | 11 (16.9%) | 11 (16.9%) | |
| Female sex, n (%) | 48 (36.9%) | 24 (36.9%) | 24 (36.9%) | 0.999 (matched) |
| Body mass index, kg/m2 | 25.0 ± 3.8 | 23.7 ± 3.2 | 26.2 ± 3.9 | <0.001 |
| Comorbid conditions | ||||
| Current smoking, n (%) | 15 (11.5%) | 11 (16.9%) | 4 (6.2%) | 0.097 |
| Hypertension, n (%) | 25 (19.2%) | 11 (16.9%) | 14 (21.5%) | 0.504 |
| Dyslipidemia, n (%) | 84 (64.6%) | 35 (53.8%) | 49 (75.4%) | 0.010 |
| Obesity, n (%) | 63 (48.5%) | 24 (36.9%) | 39 (60.0%) | 0.008 |
| Overweight, n (%) | 95 (73.1%) | 40 (61.5%) | 55 (84.6%) | 0.003 |
| Metabolic dysregulation, n (%) | 96 (73.8%) | 41 (63.1%) | 55 (84.6%) | 0.005 |
| Both overweight and metabolic dysregulation, n (%) | 75 (57.7%) | 30 (46.2%) | 45 (69.2%) | 0.008 |
| Fatty liver, n (%) | 66 (50.8%) | 1 (1.5%) | 65 (100%) | <0.001 |
| Laboratory parameters | ||||
| White blood cell count, ×109 | 4.8 (3.8–6.2) | 4.7 (3.7–5.9) | 4.8 (3.9–6.6) | 0.656 |
| Lymphocyte count, ×109 | 1.2 (0.9–1.6) | 1.2 (0.9–1.6) | 1.2 (0.9–1.6) | 0.922 |
| C‐reactive protein, mg/L | 19.2 (4.1–41.2) | 11.2 (2.5–32.4) | 21.9 (8.5–47.3) | 0.023 |
| Fasting glucose, mmol/L | 5.5 ± 1.3 | 5.4 ± 1.4 | 5.5 ± 1.2 | 0.528 |
| HbA1c, % | 6.0 ± 0.4 | 5.8 ± 0.3 | 6.0 ± 0.4 | 0.368 |
| Triglycerides, mmol/L | 1.3 (0.9–1.8) | 1.2 (0.9–1.6) | 1.5 (1.0–1.8) | 0.169 |
| Total cholesterol, mmol/L | 4.0 (3.4–4.4) | 4.0 (3.5–4.5) | 3.9 (3.3–4.4) | 0.306 |
| HDL‐cholesterol, mmol/L | 1.0 (0.9–1.2) | 1.1 (1.0–1.4) | 1.0 (0.9–1.2) | 0.003 |
| LDL‐cholesterol, mmol/L | 2.3 (1.8–2.7) | 2.3 (1.8–2.8) | 2.3 (1.7–2.7) | 0.710 |
| Alanine aminotransferase, U/L | 26 (18–38) | 22 (15–32) | 29 (22–48) | 0.001 |
| Aspartate aminotransferase, U/L | 26 (20–35) | 23 (18–29) | 30 (22–39) | 0.001 |
| Albumin, g/L | 41 ± 5 | 42 ± 7 | 41 ± 4 | 0.428 |
| Total bilirubin, μmol/L | 11.6 (8.8–16.5) | 10.7 (8.3–16.3) | 13.6 (8.9–16.7) | 0.270 |
| Creatinine, μmol/L | 73.0 (61.5–82.0) | 66.0 (60.0–79.0) | 74.5 (67.0–83.8) | 0.016 |
| COVID‐19 severity, n (%) | 0.003 | |||
| Mild | 6 (4.6%) | 6 (9.2%) | 0 (0.0%) | |
| Moderate | 102 (78.5%) | 54 (83.1%) | 48 (73.8%) | |
| Severe | 19 (14.6%) | 5 (7.7%) | 14 (21.5%) | |
| Critical | 3 (2.3%) | 0 (0.0%) | 3 (4.6%) |
Data are expressed as means ± SD, medians (IQR), and number (percentages).
†
Statistical difference between those with and those without MAFLD.
COVID‐19, coronavirus disease 2019; MAFLD, metabolic associated fatty liver disease; HDL, high‐density lipoprotein; LDL, low‐density lipoprotein.