tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
BMC Infect Dis
. 2021 Nov 4;21(1):1135.
doi: 10.1186/s12879-021-06824-y.
Gastrointestinal implications in COVID-19
Ghazal Zoghi[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Seyed Hamid Moosavy[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sadegh Yavarian[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Mehdi HasaniAzad[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Farid Khorrami[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Masoud Sharegi Brojeni[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Masoumeh Kheirandish[SUP] 5 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 patients mostly present with respiratory symptoms; however, gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations can also be seen either alone or along with respiratory symptoms. We aimed to evaluate the GI symptoms related to COVID-19.
Methods: This cross-sectional study retrospectively evaluated the medical files of 507 patients with confirmed or highly probable COVID-19. Based on their symptoms, patients were categorized into four groups: with GI symptoms alone (GIA), with respiratory symptoms alone (RA), with both GI and respiratory symptoms (GIR), and without GI or respiratory symptoms (WGIR).
Results: Of the 507 COVID-19 patients, 47.9% had at least one GI symptom; the most common was nausea and/or vomiting (31.6%). Patients in the GIA group were significantly older than those in the RA (P = 0.041) and GRI (P = 0.004) groups (54.70 ± 18.14 vs. 48.68 ± 14.67 and 46.80 ± 17.17 years, respectively). Groups were homogeneous with respect to gender. Leukopenia and lymphopenia were both less frequent in patients with GI symptoms compared to those without GI symptoms. Positive RT-PCR was significantly less frequent among patients with GI symptoms (44% vs. 100%, P < 0.001). Although mortality was lower in patients with GI symptoms (9.1%) in comparison with those without GI symptoms (13.3%), the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.134).
Conclusion: The typical respiratory symptoms of COVID-19 are quite commonly accompanied by GI symptoms, with nausea and/or vomiting being the most prevalent. A subgroup of COVID-19 patients may exclusively present with GI symptoms. Special attention should be paid to these patients in order to avoid misdiagnosis or delayed treatment.
Keywords: Coronavirus; Gastrointestinal symptoms; SARS-CoV-2.
. 2021 Nov 4;21(1):1135.
doi: 10.1186/s12879-021-06824-y.
Gastrointestinal implications in COVID-19
Ghazal Zoghi[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Seyed Hamid Moosavy[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sadegh Yavarian[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Mehdi HasaniAzad[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Farid Khorrami[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Masoud Sharegi Brojeni[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Masoumeh Kheirandish[SUP] 5 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34736412
- DOI: 10.1186/s12879-021-06824-y
Abstract
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 patients mostly present with respiratory symptoms; however, gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations can also be seen either alone or along with respiratory symptoms. We aimed to evaluate the GI symptoms related to COVID-19.
Methods: This cross-sectional study retrospectively evaluated the medical files of 507 patients with confirmed or highly probable COVID-19. Based on their symptoms, patients were categorized into four groups: with GI symptoms alone (GIA), with respiratory symptoms alone (RA), with both GI and respiratory symptoms (GIR), and without GI or respiratory symptoms (WGIR).
Results: Of the 507 COVID-19 patients, 47.9% had at least one GI symptom; the most common was nausea and/or vomiting (31.6%). Patients in the GIA group were significantly older than those in the RA (P = 0.041) and GRI (P = 0.004) groups (54.70 ± 18.14 vs. 48.68 ± 14.67 and 46.80 ± 17.17 years, respectively). Groups were homogeneous with respect to gender. Leukopenia and lymphopenia were both less frequent in patients with GI symptoms compared to those without GI symptoms. Positive RT-PCR was significantly less frequent among patients with GI symptoms (44% vs. 100%, P < 0.001). Although mortality was lower in patients with GI symptoms (9.1%) in comparison with those without GI symptoms (13.3%), the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.134).
Conclusion: The typical respiratory symptoms of COVID-19 are quite commonly accompanied by GI symptoms, with nausea and/or vomiting being the most prevalent. A subgroup of COVID-19 patients may exclusively present with GI symptoms. Special attention should be paid to these patients in order to avoid misdiagnosis or delayed treatment.
Keywords: Coronavirus; Gastrointestinal symptoms; SARS-CoV-2.