Fatty Liver Change in Korean Adults in a Systematic Social Distancing System Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multicenter Analysis

Ji-Hee Haam, Yang-Im Hur, Young-Sang Kim (), Kyoung-Kon Kim, Jee-Hyun Kang, Hae-Jin Ko, Yoon Jeong Cho, Hye-In Choi, Kyu Rae Lee, Jung Ha Park, Soo Hyun Cho, Jong-Koo Kim, Taesic Lee, Myung-Jae Seo, Yeong Sook Yoon, Yoobin Seo, Ga Eun Nam and Sun Hyun Kim
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Ji-Hee Haam: Department of Family Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam 13496, Korea
Yang-Im Hur: Department of Family Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam 13496, Korea
Young-Sang Kim: Department of Family Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam 13496, Korea
Kyoung-Kon Kim: Department of Family Medicine, Gachon University College of Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon 21565, Korea
Jee-Hyun Kang: Department of Family Medicine, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon 35365, Korea
Hae-Jin Ko: Department of Family Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu 41944, Korea
Yoon Jeong Cho: Department of Family Medicine, Daegu Catholic University, Daegu 42472, Korea
Hye-In Choi: Department of Family Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu 41944, Korea
Kyu Rae Lee: Department of Family Medicine, Gachon University College of Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon 21565, Korea
Jung Ha Park: Department of Family Medicine, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju 63241, Korea
Soo Hyun Cho: Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul 06973, Korea
Jong-Koo Kim: Department of Family Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju 26426, Korea
Taesic Lee: Department of Family Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju 26426, Korea
Myung-Jae Seo: Department of Family Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju 26426, Korea
Yeong Sook Yoon: Department of Family Medicine, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, Goyang 10380, Korea
Yoobin Seo: Department of Family Medicine, Sanbon Medical Center, Wonkwang University, Gunpo 15865, Korea
Ga Eun Nam: Department of Family Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul 08308, Korea
Sun Hyun Kim: Department of Family Medicine, International St. Mary’s Hospital, Catholic Kwandong University College of Medicine, Incheon 22711, Korea

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 16, 1-11

Abstract: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Korean government implemented policies including the systematic social distancing (SSD) system which started on 28 June 2020. The present study investigated the development and aggravation of fatty liver measured using ultrasonography during the transition period (from pre-SSD to SSD) compared to the fatty liver changes during the pre-SSD period. Changes in fatty liver and liver enzymes were assessed in different groups stratified by alcohol consumption. Our retrospective cohort analysis included 5668 participants who underwent health checkups at 13 university hospitals during the SSD period and two or more checkups before the SSD period. Fatty liver developed and aggravated more in the transition period (13.6% development and 12.0% aggravation) than in the pre-SSD period (10.8% development and 10.1% aggravation) in the alcohol consumption group. This finding was more prominent in women than in men. Abnormal alanine transaminase levels were more often developed in the transition period than in the pre-SSD period, especially in men (11.1% vs. 8.6% in each period). In conclusion, the SSD system may contribute to fatty liver changes in individuals who regularly consume alcohol. Further research of the post-pandemic period is needed to assess long-term changes in fatty liver disease.

Keywords: COVID-19; systematic social distancing; fatty liver; liver enzyme; alcohol consumption (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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