Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Outcomes in Hospitalized Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients
Preethi Ramachandran1, Ifeanyichkwu Onukogu2, Snigdha Ghanta2
1Department Hematology and Oncology, Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA.
Insights
Gastrointestinal symptoms in hospitalized COVID-19 patients were not linked to worse outcomes. This study found no significant differences in mortality, length of stay, or need for ventilation for patients with or without GI symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Infectious Diseases
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are increasingly recognized in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
- The prognostic significance of GI symptoms in COVID-19 remains unclear.
- Assessing GI symptoms for prognostication in hospitalized COVID-19 patients is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if the presence of GI symptoms at admission is associated with poor outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
- To evaluate the prognostic value of GI symptoms in COVID-19 prognostication.
- To compare outcomes between COVID-19 patients with and without GI symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 150 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
- Review of medical charts for GI symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain) at admission.
- Comparison of COVID-19 patients with GI symptoms (cases) versus those without (controls).
Main Results:
- 31 (20.6%) of 150 patients had GI symptoms.
- No statistically significant differences in comorbidities or laboratory findings between cases and controls.
- Mortality (41.9% vs. 37.8%), length of stay (7.8 vs. 7.9 days), and mechanical ventilation rates (29% vs. 26.9%) did not differ significantly.
Conclusions:
- GI manifestations at COVID-19 admission were not associated with increased mortality.
- The presence of GI symptoms did not correlate with longer length of stay.
- GI symptoms in COVID-19 patients did not predict the need for mechanical ventilation.
Introduction:
Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are increasingly being recognized in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It is unclear if the presence of GI symptoms is associated with poor outcomes in COVID-19. We aim to assess if GI symptoms could be used for prognostication in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed patients admitted to a tertiary medical center in Brooklyn, NY, from March 18, 2020, to March 31, 2020, with COVID-19. The patients' medical charts were reviewed for the presence of GI symptoms at admission, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. COVID-19 patients with GI symptoms (cases) were compared with COVID-19 patients without GI symptoms (control).
Results:
A total of 150 hospitalized COVID-19 patients were included, of which 31 (20.6%) patients had at least 1 or more of the GI symptoms (cases). They were compared with the 119 COVID-19 patients without GI symptoms (controls). The average age among cases was 57.6 years (SD 17.2) and control was 63.3 years (SD 14.6). No statistically significant difference was noted in comorbidities and laboratory findings. The primary outcome was mortality, which did not differ between cases and controls (41.9 vs. 37.8%, p = 0.68). No statistically significant differences were noted in secondary outcomes, including the length of stay (LOS, 7.8 vs. 7.9 days, p = 0.87) and need for mechanical ventilation (29 vs. 26.9%, p = 0.82).
Discussion:
In our study, the presence of GI manifestations in COVID-19 at the time of admission was not associated with increased mortality, LOS, or mechanical ventilation.
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