tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Therap Adv Gastroenterol
. 2022 Jun 21;15:17562848221104610.
doi: 10.1177/17562848221104610. eCollection 2022.
Gastrointestinal manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection in an Italian population of hospitalized patients
Angelo Milano[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Konstantinos Efthymakis[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Damiano D'Ardes[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Marco Tana[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Elena Mazzotta[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Giulia De Febis[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Francesco Laterza[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Pierluigi Tarquini[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Enrico Marini[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Ettore Porreca[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Francesco Cipollone[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Matteo Neri[SUP] 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus enters the cells via angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor; therefore, tissues expressing this receptor are potential targets for infection. Although many studies have observed gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, prevalence and clinical impact are still uncertain due to the heterogeneity of reports and obstacles to generalization.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we included symptomatic patients requiring hospital admission, with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 by nasopharyngeal polymerase chain reaction test, between 18 March and 30 May 2020. Demographic data, symptoms at onset, vital signs, and laboratory tests at admission were recorded.
Results: In all, 300 patients were included (57%M, 43%F). GI symptoms were mainly diarrhea (13%), anorexia (4.3%), vomiting (3%), and abdominal pain (2.3%). Overall, males were younger (68 years versus 76 years; p = 0.01); patients with GI manifestations at disease onset required significantly faster hospital admission and showed larger GI complication rates. GI symptoms were associated with abnormal high aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase serum titers, especially in male patients.
Conclusion: Our study on an Italian population during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic shows that GI symptoms are part of the spectrum of the SARS-CoV-2 infection and could be the only manifestations at disease onset. Although patients with GI symptoms were associated with faster hospital admission and liver involvement, prognosis was not affected.
Keywords: GI symptoms; SARS-CoV-2.
. 2022 Jun 21;15:17562848221104610.
doi: 10.1177/17562848221104610. eCollection 2022.
Gastrointestinal manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection in an Italian population of hospitalized patients
Angelo Milano[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Konstantinos Efthymakis[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Damiano D'Ardes[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Marco Tana[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Elena Mazzotta[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Giulia De Febis[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Francesco Laterza[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Pierluigi Tarquini[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Enrico Marini[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Ettore Porreca[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Francesco Cipollone[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Matteo Neri[SUP] 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 35757382
- PMCID: PMC9218448
- DOI: 10.1177/17562848221104610
Abstract
Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus enters the cells via angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor; therefore, tissues expressing this receptor are potential targets for infection. Although many studies have observed gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, prevalence and clinical impact are still uncertain due to the heterogeneity of reports and obstacles to generalization.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we included symptomatic patients requiring hospital admission, with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 by nasopharyngeal polymerase chain reaction test, between 18 March and 30 May 2020. Demographic data, symptoms at onset, vital signs, and laboratory tests at admission were recorded.
Results: In all, 300 patients were included (57%M, 43%F). GI symptoms were mainly diarrhea (13%), anorexia (4.3%), vomiting (3%), and abdominal pain (2.3%). Overall, males were younger (68 years versus 76 years; p = 0.01); patients with GI manifestations at disease onset required significantly faster hospital admission and showed larger GI complication rates. GI symptoms were associated with abnormal high aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase serum titers, especially in male patients.
Conclusion: Our study on an Italian population during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic shows that GI symptoms are part of the spectrum of the SARS-CoV-2 infection and could be the only manifestations at disease onset. Although patients with GI symptoms were associated with faster hospital admission and liver involvement, prognosis was not affected.
Keywords: GI symptoms; SARS-CoV-2.