Z Gastroenterol 2021; 59(08): e341
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1734266
POSTER
Gastroenterologie

Covid-19 and gastrointestinal manifestations: A retrospective cohort study

T Lind
1   Divison of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
,
NJ Frece
1   Divison of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
,
A Horvath
2   Center for Biomarker Research in Medicine (CBmed), Graz, Austria
1   Divison of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
,
H Wurzer
3   Department of Internal Medicine, State Hospital Graz II, Graz, Austria
,
A Berghold
4   Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Documentation, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
,
V Stadlbauer-Köllner
1   Divison of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
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Background and Aim Although patients with COVID-19 most commonly present with respiratory symptoms, the GI tract has been found to be affected in many COVID-19-patients. This retrospective cohort study aims to assess the prevalence and the characteristics of gastrointestinal symptoms in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Material and Methods We retrospectively analyzed 405 hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 from 2 hospitals located in Graz, Austria from February 28 to May 30, 2020. The patients’ medical charts were reviewed for the presence of GI symptoms (diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, anorexia, abdominal pain, constipation, blood in stool) and analyzed with respect to gender, age, intensive care requirement, duration of hospitalization, and mortality.

Results This study cohort included 405 patients with a median age of 76 years (95 % CI 75;78) and 191 (47.2 %) males. Among 405 patients 80 (19.8 %) presented with at least one GI symptom, with diarrhea being the most commonly described (n = 40, 9.9 %). Men (5.2 %) were significantly more likely to have abdominal pain than women (1.4 %; p = 0.045), whereas blood in stool was more frequently reported in women (2.8 % versus 0.0 % in men; p = 0.032) Younger patients (<65 years) were more frequently affected by diarrhea and abdominal pain. Individuals with diarrhea were significantly more likely to require intensive care treatment (22.5 % versus 11.5 % in patients without diarrhea, p = 0.047). However, diarrhea (p = 0.004) as well as GI symptoms in general (p<0.0001) were associated with lower mortality.

Conclusion GI symptoms in COVID-19 are common and the presence of diarrhea was associated with a high risk of requiring intensive care but with significantly lower mortality. This apparent paradox may be due to the fact that younger patients were more often affected by GI symptoms and might have received ICU treatment more often.



Publication History

Article published online:
01 September 2021

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