Post-COVID-19 Gastro-Intestinal Disturbances
Emidio Scarpellini1, Jan Tack2
1Internal Medicine Unit, "Madonna del Soccorso" General Hospital, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy.
Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials
|December 5, 2022
Summary
Gastrointestinal symptoms are common in COVID-19 and long-COVID-19, potentially worsening outcomes. Modulating gut microbiota with prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics may help treat and prevent the disease.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
Background:
- COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, is a pandemic with significant multisystemic impact.
- Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are increasingly recognized in COVID-19 patients during and after infection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and comment on the prevalence, pathophysiology, and potential treatments for GI disturbances in COVID-19.
- To explore the association between GI symptoms and COVID-19 outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Review of preliminary and recent evidence on GI symptoms in COVID-19.
- Analysis of literature regarding the impact of GI symptoms and gut microbiota on COVID-19 course.
Main Results:
- A significant portion of COVID-19 patients experience persistent GI symptoms, termed long-COVID-19.
- GI symptoms may be associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes, though this requires further consensus.
- Gut dysbiosis is implicated in post-infectious functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome, conditions similar to some COVID-19 GI symptoms.
Conclusions:
- GI symptoms are a notable feature of both acute and long-term COVID-19, potentially influencing disease progression.
- Modulating the gut microbiota through prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics presents a promising therapeutic target for COVID-19 management and prevention.
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