Even as the World Liver Day was observed on April 19, experts from the CARE Hospitals led by gastroenterologist Dr Debasis Misra said that patients suffering from liver diseases should not delay treatment and that the disruption in treatment due to the restrictions imposed by Covid-19 paired with fear of contracting infection can prove to be fatal for liver patients.
Reports from all over the globe state that patients with preexisting diseases are at a greater risk of developing serious Covid-19 infection.
However, data also suggest that hospitals around the world, including India, have noted approximately a 50%-decrease in the patients visiting hospitals since the outbreak of the pandemic. Explaining the situation, Dr Misra said, “According to a report by NCBI, patients with advanced liver disease and those living with liver transplants represent vulnerable patient cohorts with an increased risk of infection and/or a severe course of Covid-19.
In addition, the current pandemic requires unusual allocation of healthcare resources which may negatively impact the care of patients with chronic liver disease that continue to require medical attention.”
“People with suppressed immune systems due to immunosuppressive medication, people over the age of 60, people with other co-morbidities such as diabetes or as a component of other illnesses are at elevated risk of contracting the infection along with having a more severe disease. Some liver disease patients have several of the above mentioned concurrent conditions like diabetes, thus increasing susceptibility,” he said.
Avoiding treatment or delaying it further may increase the risk of being infected by Covid-19 or will deteriorate the liver condition further. Therefore, it is important to emphasize that people suffering from liver diseases should not delay treatment any further.