Background: Derangement of liver blood tests (LBT) is frequent in patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to evaluate (a) the prevalence of deranged LBT as well as their association with (b) clinical severity at admission and (c) 30-day outcomes among the hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Methods: Consecutive patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in the regional referral center over the 12-month period were included. Clinical severity of COVID-19 at hospital admission and 30-day outcomes (need for intensive care, mechanical ventilation, or death) were analyzed. Results: Derangement of LBT occurred in 2854/3812 (74.9%) of patients, most frequently due to elevation of AST (61.6%), GGT (46.1%) and ALT (33.4%). Elevated AST, ALT, GGT and low albumin were associated with more severe disease at admission. However, in multivariate Cox regression analysis, when adjusted for age, sex, obesity and presence of chronic liver disease, only AST remained associated with the risk of dying (HR 1.5081 and 2.1315, for elevations 1–3 × ULN and >3 × ULN, respectively) independently of comorbidity burden and COVID-19 severity at admission. Patients with more severe liver injury more frequently experienced defined adverse outcomes. Conclusions: Deranged LBTs are common among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and might be used as predictors of adverse clinical outcomes.

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Background and aims Patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) might have aggravated course upon acquisition of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). We aimed to analyse the outcomes of patients with CLD who were hospitalized due to COVID‐19. Methods Medical records of 4014 patients hospitalized due to COVID‐19 in a regional referral hospital over a 12‐month period were analysed. Patients with CLD were identified based on discharge diagnoses according to ICD‐10 classification. Patients were followed for 30 days from admission, and their outcomes (intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mechanical ventilation (MV) or death) were analysed. Results Of the 4014 patients, 110 (2.7%) had CLD and 49 (1.2%) had cirrhosis. Median age of CLD patients was 67.5 years, 79 (71.8%) were males, 224 (23.5%) obese, 56 (50.9%) reported alcohol abuse, 24 (21.8%) had non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease, 11 (10%) viral hepatitis and 98 (89.1%) had pneumonia. Median length of hospitalization was 12 days, 32 (29.1%) patients required ICU admission and 23 (20.9%) MV, while 43 (39.1%) died. In univariate analysis, patients with cirrhosis (45% vs 73%, HR=2.95; P<0.001), but not those with non‐cirrhotic CLD (74% vs 73%, P>0.05), experienced worse 30‐days survival when compared to age, sex and COVID‐19 duration matched cohorts. In a logistic regression analysis conducted on the overall and matched cohorts, liver cirrhosis, but not CLD, predicted inferior survival independently of age, comorbidities and severity of COVID‐19, with a fourfold higher adjusted risk of 30‐day mortality. Conclusion Cirrhosis is independently associated with higher 30‐day mortality of hospitalized patients with COVID‐19. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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Background Decisions about limitations of life sustaining treatments (LST) are made for end-of-life patients in intensive care units (ICUs). The aim of this research was to explore the professional and ethical attitudes and experiences of medical professionals on treatment of end-of-life patients in ICUs in the Republic of Croatia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among physicians and nurses working in surgical, medical, neurological, and multidisciplinary ICUs in the total of 9 hospitals throughout Croatia using a questionnaire with closed and open type questions. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to reduce data to a smaller set of summary variables. Mann–Whitney U test was used to analyse the differences between two groups and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to analyse the differences between more than two groups. Results Less than third of participants (29.2%) stated they were included in the decision-making process, and physicians are much more included than nurses (p < 0.001). Sixty two percent of participants stated that the decision-making process took place between physicians. Eighteen percent of participants stated that ‘do-not-attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitations’ orders were frequently made in their ICUs. A decision to withdraw inotropes and antibiotics was frequently made as stated by 22.4% and 19.9% of participants, respectively. Withholding/withdrawing of LST were ethically acceptable to 64.2% of participants. Thirty seven percent of participants thought there was a significant difference between withholding and withdrawing LST from an ethical standpoint. Seventy-nine percent of participants stated that a verbal or written decision made by a capable patient should be respected. Physicians were more inclined to respect patient’s wishes then nurses with high school education (p = 0.038). Nurses were more included in the decision-making process in neurological than in surgical, medical, or multidisciplinary ICUs (p < 0.001, p = 0.005, p = 0.023 respectively). Male participants in comparison to female (p = 0.002), and physicians in comparison to nurses with high school and college education (p < 0.001) displayed more liberal attitudes about LST limitation. Conclusions DNACPR orders are not commonly made in Croatian ICUs, even though limitations of LST were found ethically acceptable by most of the participants. Attitudes of paternalistic and conservative nature were expected considering Croatia’s geographical location in Southern Europe.