Faculty Collaboration Database

A Case of COVID Cholangiopathy and Literature Review. WMJ 2023 Dec;122(5):372-376

Date

01/05/2024

Pubmed ID

38180927

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85181630185 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: With cholangiopathy, the bile ducts become inflamed and have a "beads on string appearance" with elevated bilirubin. It is typically associated with primary sclerosing cholangitis but is now being reported as a post-COVID complication.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 65-year-old White male presented with resolved respiratory failure from COVID-19 pneumonia, jaundice, and likely subacute kidney injury. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 cholangiopathy due to clinical picture and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography imaging. Unfortunately, due to a massive refractory gastrointestinal bleed, he was transitioned to hospice care.

DISCUSSION: COVID-19 has been shown to have both short- and long-term effects on multiple organ systems. Cholangiopathy is a rare complication of COVID-19. Most of these cases result in severe liver failure and require liver transplant, similar to primary sclerosing cholangitis.

CONCLUSIONS: We report this case to increase awareness among clinicians to consider COVID-19 cholangiopathy in patients with unexplained jaundice and a history of severe COVID-19 infection.

Author List

Kode V, Puetz J, Razzak AN, Jha P

Authors

Pinky Jha MD Associate Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Joseph R. Puetz MD Assistant Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Aged
Cholangitis, Sclerosing
Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage
Humans
Jaundice
Male