Multicenter Study

. 2020 Sep;40(9):2160-2163.

doi: 10.1111/liv.14575. Epub 2020 Jul 5.

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease is associated with severity of COVID-19

Yu-Jie Zhou^{1

2}, Kenneth I Zheng¹, Xiao-Bo Wang³, Qing-Feng Sun⁴, Ke-Hua Pan⁵, Ting-Yao Wang⁶, Hong-Lei Ma¹, Yong-Ping Chen¹, Jacob George⁷, Ming-Hua Zheng^{1

8

9}

Affiliations

¹ MAFLD Research Center, Department of Hepatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
² Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ministry of Health, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai, China.
³ Department of Critical Care Medicine, Wenzhou Central Hospital, Wenzhou, China.
⁴ Department of Infectious Diseases, Ruian People's Hospital, Wenzhou, China.
⁵ Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
⁶ Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
⁷ Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead Hospital and University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
⁸ Institute of Hepatology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
⁹ Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment for The Development of Chronic Liver Disease in Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou, China.

PMID: 32573883
PMCID: PMC7361853
DOI: 10.1111/liv.14575

Multicenter Study

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease is associated with severity of COVID-19

Yu-Jie Zhou et al. Liver Int. 2020 Sep.

. 2020 Sep;40(9):2160-2163.

doi: 10.1111/liv.14575. Epub 2020 Jul 5.

Authors

Yu-Jie Zhou^{1

2}, Kenneth I Zheng¹, Xiao-Bo Wang³, Qing-Feng Sun⁴, Ke-Hua Pan⁵, Ting-Yao Wang⁶, Hong-Lei Ma¹, Yong-Ping Chen¹, Jacob George⁷, Ming-Hua Zheng^{1

8

9}

Affiliations

¹ MAFLD Research Center, Department of Hepatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
² Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ministry of Health, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai, China.
³ Department of Critical Care Medicine, Wenzhou Central Hospital, Wenzhou, China.
⁴ Department of Infectious Diseases, Ruian People's Hospital, Wenzhou, China.
⁵ Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
⁶ Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
⁷ Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead Hospital and University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
⁸ Institute of Hepatology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
⁹ Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment for The Development of Chronic Liver Disease in Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou, China.

PMID: 32573883
PMCID: PMC7361853
DOI: 10.1111/liv.14575

Abstract

The Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has attracted increasing worldwide attention. While metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) affects a quarter of world population, its impact on COVID-19 severity has not been characterized. We identified 55 MAFLD patients with COVID-19, who were 1:1 matched by age, sex and obesity status to non-aged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-infected patients without MAFLD. Our results demonstrate that in patients aged less than 60 years with COVID-19, MAFLD is associated with an approximately fourfold increase (adjusted odds ratio 4.07, 95% confidence interval 1.20-13.79, P = .02) in the probability for severe disease, after adjusting for confounders. Healthcare professionals caring for patients with COVID-19 need to be aware that there is a positive association between MAFLD and severe illness with COVID-19.

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Comment in

Genetic insight into COVID-19-related liver injury.
Bianco C, Baselli G, Malvestiti F, Santoro L, Pelusi S, Manunta M, Grasselli G, Bandera A, Scudeller L, Prati D, Valenti L. Bianco C, et al. Liver Int. 2021 Jan;41(1):227-229. doi: 10.1111/liv.14708. Epub 2020 Nov 3. Liver Int. 2021. PMID: 33098230 No abstract available.

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Zheng M, Cun D, He H, Xie X, Lei H, Fu W, Tai W, Yang J. Zheng M, et al. BMC Gastroenterol. 2025 Mar 11;25(1):162. doi: 10.1186/s12876-025-03722-4. BMC Gastroenterol. 2025. PMID: 40069595 Free PMC article.

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Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease is associated with severity of COVID-19

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