Global prevalence of prolonged gastrointestinal symptoms in COVID-19 survivors and potential pathogenesis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to determine the cumulative prevalence of prolonged gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, abdominal pain, and dysgeusia, in survivors of both mild and severe COVID-19 worldwide and to discuss the potential pathogenesis. Methods: Three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched for relevant articles up to January 30, 2021. Data on study characteristics, clinical characteristics during follow-up, the number of patients with prolonged GI symptoms, and total number of COVID-19 survivors were retrieved according to PRISMA guidelines. The quality of eligible studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. The pooled prevalence of specific prolonged GI symptoms was calculated and the association between COVID-19 severity and the occurrence of prolonged GI symptoms was assessed if appropriate. Results: The global prevalence of prolonged nausea was 3.23% (95% CI: 0.54%–16.53%) among 527 COVID-19 survivors. Vomiting persisted in 93 of 2,238 COVID-19 survivors (3.19%, 95% CI: 1.62%–6.17%) and prolonged diarrhea was found in 34 of 1,073 survivors (4.12%, 95% CI: 1.07%–14.64%). A total of 156 patients among 2,238 COVID-19 survivors (4.41%, 95% CI: 1.91%–9.94%) complained of persistent decreased or loss of appetite. The cumulative prevalence of prolonged abdominal pain was 1.68% (95% CI: 0.84%–3.32%), whereas persistent dysgeusia was identified in 130 cases among 1,887 COVID-19 survivors (7.04%, 95% CI: 5.96%–8.30%). Data was insufficient to assess the relationship between COVID-19 severity and the occurrence of all prolonged GI symptoms. Conclusion: Persistent GI symptoms among COVID-19 survivors after discharge or recovery raises a concern regarding the long-term impact of the COVID-19 infection on the quality of life of the survivors. Despite several potential explanations proposed, studies that aim to follow patients after recovery from COVID-19 and determine the pathogenesis of the prolonged symptoms of COVID-19 survivors are warranted. PROSPERO registration: CRD42021239187.

Understanding of COVID-19 Vaccine Knowledge, Attitude, Acceptance, and Determinates of COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Among Adult Population in Ethiopia

“…2 COVID-19 also causes persistent symptoms that can impact the quality of life of survivors. 3 This pandemic has affected 223 countries, with over 118, 278, 711 reported cases and 2, 624, 426 deaths worldwide. 4 Of these, North America (34,228,219 cases and 781,745 deaths), Europe (35,456,449 cases and 843,039 deaths), Asia (25,748,391 cases and 406,251 deaths), and South America (18,779,624 cases and 485,659 deaths) have higher rates than Africa (4,013,352 cases and 106,623 deaths) and Oceania (4,013,352 cases and 106,623 deaths) (51,955 cases and 1094 deaths).…”

Investigating the Relationship between Vitamin D and Persistent Symptoms Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection

“…Symptom burden appears to be independent of the severity of initial infection, with no clear predictors of who will develop ongoing symptoms [10]. Persistent endothelial dysfunction may be responsible for the wide variation in symptoms reported [11][12][13]. There is also some evidence suggesting that altered inflammatory cytokine pathways may persist during convalescence [14].…”

Predictors of Intention to Get a COVID-19 Vaccine of Health Science Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…1 , 2 Long COVID-19 positive cases have been frequently reported among COVID-19 survivors causing a potential long-term burden on health services across the country. 3 The emergence of the new variants have been documented, especially the Delta Variant, which has demonstrated the highly infectious nature of the virus and prolonged the pandemic around the world. 4 As of 18 June 2021, over 177 million confirmed cases have been reported, resulting in over 3.8 million deaths across the globe.…”