Editorial
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Mar 21, 2024; 30(11): 1480-1487
Published online Mar 21, 2024. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i11.1480
Current remarks and future directions on the interactions between metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease and COVID-19
Leonidas Brilakis, Eirini Theofilogiannakou, Panagis M Lykoudis
Leonidas Brilakis, Eirini Theofilogiannakou, Panagis M Lykoudis, School of Medicine, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
Panagis M Lykoudis, Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
Author contributions: Lykoudis PM designed the study and revised the draft; Brilakis L and Theofilogiannakou E performed the research and wrote the draft of the manuscript; All authors have read and approve the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Leonidas Brilakis, Eirini Theofilogiannakou and Panagis M Lykoudis have nothing to disclose.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Panagis M Lykoudis, MD, MSc, PhD, Lecturer, Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom. p.lykoudis@ucl.ac.uk
Received: December 29, 2023
Peer-review started: December 29, 2023
First decision: January 19, 2024
Revised: January 30, 2024
Accepted: March 4, 2024
Article in press: March 4, 2024
Published online: March 21, 2024
Core Tip

Core Tip: The intricate intertwining of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents a critical nexus with severe clinical outcomes. The symbiotic impact of MAFLD increasing susceptibility to severe COVID-19, and the reciprocal exacerbation by the viral infection, mandate special attention. Early identification, vigilant monitoring and tailored evidence-based interventions, navigating both conditions, are pivotal in mitigating adverse effects. Investigating the molecular pathways underlying the synergistic effects of MAFLD and COVID-19, and the impact of specific COVID-19 treatment drugs on liver function and their potential exacerbation of MAFLD, stands as a promising research avenue that could unveil novel therapeutic targets.