Post-COVID-19 cholangiopathy: A systematic review

BACKGROUND The recent and still ongoing pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) entailed various long-term complications,including post-infectious cholangiopathy.AIM To identify the available studies concerning post-coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) cholangiopathy.METHODS An extensive bibliographical search was carried out in PubMed and in Cochrane Library to identify the articles(retrospective and prospective studies, cohort studies, case series and case reports) published between January 1, 2020 and August 22, 2022, using both MeSH terms and free-language keywords: cholangiopathy; COVID-19; post-COVID-19 cholangiopathy; SARS-CoV-2.RESULTS Thirteen studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria, which included 64 patients suffering from this condition. The patients were male in 82.8% of cases. Liver transplant was executed in 6 patients and scheduled in 7 patients, while 2 patients refused the surgical approach. Therefore in 23.4% of the cases, performing this procedure appeared to be necessary.CONCLUSION This review has revealed that generally the involvement of the liver in the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection is mild and transient, inducing cholestasis of cholangiocytes but can also be severe enough to cause organ failure in some cases.