The level of melatonin and serotoninneurohormones in blood serum in patientswith non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and kidneylesions infected with COVID-19 virus

Abstract

Research aimed at determining the possible mechanisms of progression in the damage tovarious organs and systems against the background of COVID-19 infection is an urgent, not thoroughly studied issuein contemporary clinical medicine. The purpose was to determine the peculiarities of changes in serum melatonin(МТ) and serotonin (ST) neurohormone levels in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and kidneydamage infected with the COVID-19 virus. Materials and methods.84 patients with NAFLD (steatohepatitis)combined with increased body mass index were examined. NAFLD patients were divided into two groups dependingon the presence or absence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), and namely: Group 1 included 34 NAFLD and insulinresistance (IR) patients; Group 2 comprised 38 patients with NAFLD and type 2 DM. All examined patients were testedfor MT and ST levels in blood serum. Results.There was a significant decrease in serum MT level in both examinedgroups — by 2.2 and 3.2 times respectively in group 1 and 2 patients at the time of admission to the hospital. Thesame trend was identified in the indicators of serum MT level in both groups of patients on day 1 of inpatient treatment(IT) — and namely, its decrease by 1.5 and 2.3 times. Revealed a correlation between the progression of liver damageand the decrease of MT and ST levels in blood serum, which is probably a consequence of its toxic damage againstthe background of the conducted treatment of patients infected with COVID-19. The decreased serum neurohormonelevels also correlate with the insulin level and IR index. There is also a strong correlation between renal damageoccurring at the IT stage in NAFLD patients and impaired carbohydrate metabolism during COVID-19 infection anddecreased levels of MT and ST in the blood, according to glomerular filtration rate MDRD MDRD (r = 0,88; р < 0,01and r = 0,94; р < 0,01 accordance). Conclusions.COVID-19 infection and its treatment in NAFLD patients withimpaired carbohydrate metabolism lead to impaired renal functional status. In patients with NAFLD and carbohydratemetabolism disorders, a decrease in serum levels of the neurohormones MT and ST was found, which progressivelydecreased against the background of COVID-19 infection and kidney damage in these patients.