A variety of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms have been reported in patients with Coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19). A recent study in hospitalized patients evaluated the prevalence of GI symptoms, factors associated with their occurrence and variation at 1 month. Patients with and without COVID-19 diagnosis were recruited during hospital admission and surveyed for the occurrence of GI symptoms at admission and after 1 month, using the validated Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale questionnaire.

From the total of 2036 hospitalized patients, 871 patients (575 COVID-positive and 296 COVID-negative) were included for the primary analysis; 59.7% of patients with COVID-19 reported GI symptoms compared to 43.2% of the control group.  Presence or intensity of nausea, diarrhea, loose stools, and urgency was higher in COVID-19 patients than in the controls. One-month follow-up showed a reduction in the presence or intensity of GI symptoms in COVID-19 patients with GI symptoms at hospital admission. The nausea persisted compared to controls. Female sex, high body mass index, the presence of dyspnea, and increased C-reactive protein levels were the factors significantly associated with nausea persistence in COVID-19.Thus, the prevalence of GI symptoms in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 is much higher than earlier reported. Moreover, Systemic and respiratory symptoms remain frequently associated with GI complaints and nausea may persist even after the resolution of COVID-19 infection.

Source: Marasco G, et al. Am J Gastroenterol. 2022 Jan 1;117(1):147-157.