Pancreatic Injury in COVID-19 Patients

Abstract

Background and aim: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 2019) outbreak caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may cause multisystem dysfunction. We studied pancreatic injury (serum amylase and serum lipase levels) in COVID-19 patients.

Methods: A retrospective study involving 42 COVID-19 patients (diagnosed by real-time PCR) admitted to a tertiary care hospital was conducted. Serum amylase and serum lipase levels were analysed in relation to severity of COVID-19 and mortality.

Results: Mean age of patients was 50 ± 16 years, with male to female ratio of 3.7:1. Serum amylase was elevated in 14 patients (33%). Serum lipase was elevated in 7 out of 29 patients (24.1%). Mortality was seen in 18 patients (42.8%). Serum amylase or lipase did not correlate with severity of COVID-19 or its mortality. However, both patients who had high lipase (>3times) died.

Conclusion: The prevalence of hyperamylasemia in patients of COVID-19 was 33%, while that of elevated lipase was 24.1%. Pancreatic injury failed to show any statistically significant relation to severity or outcome of COVID-19.