Association of metabolic‐associated fatty liver disease and risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 illness

Sy‐Janairo, Marianne Linley; Y Cua, Ian Homer

Given the global health burden caused by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19), there have been numerous studies aimed to understand its clinical course and to determine risk factors that may impact prognosis. Pre‐existing medical conditions are linked with COVID‐19 severity, particularly cardiometabolic diseases. Increasing evidence has also linked metabolic‐associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) with severe COVID‐19 illness. Thus, we review different published clinical data relating to the association of MAFLD and COVID‐19 severity. Our review showed that published studies consistently support the association between MAFLD and more severe COVID‐19, even after adjustment for confounding factors. It was also observed that an increasing hepatic fibrosis score is correlated with increasing severity of COVID‐19. Finally, younger age and obesity among MAFLD patients also led to a greater risk of severe illness.