<b><i>Background and Aims:</i></b> The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the liver and the possibility of chronic liver disease (CLD) as a risk factor for COVID-19 severity is not fully understood. Our goal was to describe clinical outcomes of COVID-19 inpatients regarding the presence of abnormal liver tests and CLD. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A retrospective analysis of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospitalized in a tertiary center in Portugal, was performed. Studied outcomes were disease and hospitalization length, COVID-19 severity, admission to intensive care unit (ICU) and mortality, analyzed by the presence of abnormal liver tests and CLD. <b><i>Results:</i></b> We included 317 inpatients with a mean age of 70.4 years, 50.5% males. COVID-19 severity was moderate to severe in 57.4% and critical in 12.9%. The mean disease length was 37.8 days, the median hospitalization duration 10.0 days and overall mortality 22.8%. At admission, 50.3% showed abnormal liver tests, and 41.5% showed elevated aminotransferase levels, from which 75.4% were mild. Elevated aminotransferase levels at admission were associated with COVID-19 severity (78.7 vs. 63.3%, <i>p</i> = 0.01), ICU admission (13.1 vs. 5.92%, <i>p</i> = 0.034) and increased mortality (25.8 vs. 13.3%, <i>p</i> = 0.007). However, in a subgroup analysis, only aspartate transaminase (AST) was associated with these worse outcomes. Alkaline phosphatase was elevated in 11.4% of the patients and was associated with critical COVID-19 (21.1 vs. 9.92%, <i>p</i> = 0.044) and mortality (20.4 vs. 9.52%, <i>p</i> = 0.025), while 24.6% of the patients showed elevated γ-glutamyl transferase, which was associated with ICU admission (42.3 vs. 22.8%, <i>p</i> = 0.028). Fourteen patients had baseline CLD (4.42%), 3 with liver cirrhosis. Alcohol (<i>n</i> = 6) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (<i>n</i> = 6) were the most frequent etiologies. CLD patients had critical COVID-19 in 21.4% (<i>p</i> = 0.237), mean disease length of 36.6 days (<i>p</i> = 0.291), median hospitalization duration of 11.5 days (<i>p</i> = 0.447) and a mortality rate of 28.6% (<i>p</i> = 0.595), which increased to 66.7% among cirrhotic patients (<i>p</i> = 0.176). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Liver test abnormalities in COVID-19 patients were frequent but most commonly mild. AST, but not alanine transaminase, was associated with worse clinical outcomes, such as COVID-19 severity and mortality, probably indicating these outcomes were independent of liver injury. A low prevalence of CLD was seen, and a clear impact on COVID-19 outcomes was not seen.

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Background and Aim: Aeromonas are Gram-negative rods known to cause a spectrum of diseases. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an idiopathic complex condition resulting from interaction of multiple factors. Aeromonas infection in association with IBD is still largely unknown. We aim to look for the significance of Aeromonas infection and for significant differences between IBD and non-IBD patients. Methods: A retrospective observational analysis was performed of all patients positive for Aeromonas in stool cultures, during a 10-year period, from a tertiary and university hospital. Results: Fifty patients were included, 56% male with a mean age of 42.1 years. Thirty-eight (76%) were non-IBD and 12 (24%) IBD patients. IBD patients were more frequently under immunosuppressors. Two patients were asymptomatic and 44% developed mild, 44% moderate, and 16.7% severe infection. The main strains isolated were Aeromonas hydrophila/caviae. Bacterial co-isolation was found in 4 non-IBD and histological findings of cytomegalovirus in 2 IBD patients. Non-IBD patients presented more frequently with fever and IBD patients with bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain. There was higher tendency for severe infection rate in IBD patients with higher antimicrobial therapy use. Steroids were exclusively used in the IBD group. From IBD, 4 patients had the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis and 9 of Crohn’s disease with colonic involvement. Of these patients, 5 received IBD diagnosis after the acute episode of Aeromonas infection. Conclusions: Clinical presentation of Aeromonas infection differs between IBD and non-IBD patients. Non-IBD patients had milder severity of infection with less use of antibiotics. Aeromonas infection seems to greatly contribute to IBD manifestation.

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<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB) is an important healthcare problem whose epidemiology and outcomes have been changing throughout the years. The main goal of this study was to characterize the current demographics, etiologies, and risk factors of NVUGIB. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Analysis of clinical, endoscopic, and outcome data from patients who were admitted for NVUGIB between January 2016 and January 2019 in an emergency department of a tertiary hospital center. <b><i>Results:</i></b> A total of 522 patients were included, with a median age of 71 years, mainly men, with multiple comorbidities. Most patients were directly admitted, while the others were transferred from other hospitals. Peptic ulcer disease was the most common cause of NVUGIB and it was followed by tumor bleeding. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed within &#x3c;12 h after hospital admission in 51.9%. In-hospital rebleeding occurred in 6.9% and overall mortality was 4.2%. Transferred patients had superior Glasgow-Blatchford score (GBS), required more blood transfusion, endoscopic and surgical interventions, and presented higher rebleeding rate, with similar mortality. Complete Rockall score (CRS) and GBS were predictors of endoscopic therapy. Surgery need was only related to CRS. Patients who rebled had superior pre-endoscopic Rockall score (RS), CRS, and GBS. Mortality was increased in patients with higher RS and CRS. <b><i>Discussion/Conclusion:</i></b> Ageing and increasing comorbidities have not been related to worse outcomes in NVUGIB. These findings seem to be the consequence of the correct use of both diagnostic and therapeutic tools in an organized and widely accessible healthcare system.