Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2025
Author Spotlight: Exploring the Mysteries of Sichuan's Herbal Medicine in Chinese Medicine Research
Published on: March 1, 2024
Are Gastrointestinal Symptoms Important in Patients with COVID-19?
Emine Büküm1, Ayşe Oğuz Ayarcı2, Kadir Güler1
1Departmant of General Surgery, Bursa City Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.
Insights
Patients with gastrointestinal symptoms during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) showed a better prognosis. Early symptom recognition may lead to earlier treatment and improved outcomes for COVID-19 patients.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Infectious Diseases
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can present with diverse symptoms beyond respiratory manifestations.
- Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are increasingly recognized as a feature of COVID-19.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize patients with COVID-19 and GI symptoms.
- To evaluate the impact of GI symptoms on the prognosis of COVID-19 patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective single-center study of 292 symptomatic COVID-19 inpatients.
- Patients were divided into two groups: those with GI symptoms (Group 1) and those without (Group 2).
- Comparison of demographic data, clinical characteristics, and outcomes between groups.
Main Results:
- Group 1 (GI symptoms) had a better prognosis compared to Group 2 (no GI symptoms).
- Group 2 patients were significantly older and had higher rates of ICU admission, intubation, and mortality.
- Elevated white blood cell count and C-reactive protein levels were observed in Group 2.
Conclusions:
- GI symptoms in COVID-19 patients may indicate a better prognosis.
- Early hospitalization and treatment initiation due to GI symptoms could contribute to improved outcomes.
- Further comprehensive research is necessary to fully understand the implications of GI symptoms in COVID-19.
Background:
Our study aimed to present the general characteristics of patients in our country with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) having gastrointestinal system symptoms and the effects of gastrointestinal system symptoms on prognosis in the light of literature.
Methods:
This retrospective single-center study included patients who tested positive for COVID-19 in polymerase chain reaction test and were treated as symptomatic inpatients between April 1, 2020, and May 15, 2020, at the Bursa City Hospital in Turkey.
Results:
In our study, 292 patients with positive COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction test and symptoms were included to investigate the effect of gastrointestinal system symptoms in COVID-19 patients. Patients with at least 1 gastrointestinal system symptom were named group 1, and patients with no gastrointestinal system symptoms were named group 2. Compared with group 1 (145 patients), group 2 (147 patients) had patients with significantly older age (P = .010) and significantly higher rates of intensive care unit admission (P = .023), intubation (P = .021), and exitus (P = .004). The white blood cell count (P = .001) and C-reactive protein (P = .001) values were significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1.
Conclusion:
COVID-19 is primarily a disease with respiratory symptoms, but gastrointestinal system symptoms are also seen. In our study, we found that patients with gastrointestinal system symptoms had a better prognosis. The reason for this may be the early hospitalization of the patients due to gastrointestinal system symptoms and the early initiation of treatment. However, comprehensive studies are still needed to elucidate this further.
More Related Videos
03:25Author Spotlight: Exploring Non-Pharmacological Therapies for Chronic Respiratory Diseases — Linking Intestinal Microbiome Insights to COPD Treatment
Published on: December 27, 2024
06:01Author Spotlight: Reliable and Reproducible In Vitro Assessment of Drug Impact on Rat Intestinal Tubes
Published on: July 26, 2024
Related Concept Videos
01:17Assessment of the Gastrointestinal System I: Subjective Data
Health History
The initial step in assessing the GI system is obtaining a comprehensive health history. This includes inquiring about the patient's history or presence of problems...
01:30Irritable Bowel Syndrome II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Evaluation
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is classified into subtypes based on the predominant bowel habits as determined by the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS). The subtypes are:
01:17Irritable Bowel Syndrome I: Introduction
IBS is a chronic condition that can persist over a long period or recur frequently.
The pathogenesis of IBS involves a complex interplay of the following factors:
Altered...
01:30Serum Laboratory Studies, Stool Test, Breath Test
01:23Gastritis III: Clinical Manifestations and Management
Clinical manifestations of acute gastritis
The patient with acute gastritis may have a rapid onset of symptoms, such as epigastric pain or discomfort, dyspepsia, anorexia, hiccups, or nausea and vomiting, which can last from a few hours to a few days. Erosive or hemorrhagic gastritis may cause bleeding, which may manifest as blood in vomit or as...
01:29Assessment of the Gastrointestinal System II: Health Perception Pattern
Health Perception Patterns
Health perception patterns offer valuable insights into a patient's lifestyle habits and how they may impact their GI health. These patterns include: