Investigation of gastrointestinal involvement in post-acute COVID-19 syndrome

According to recent research, patients with COVID-19 post-acute gastrointestinal syndrome (GI-PACS) are much more likely to develop concurrent symptoms involving multiple body systems.¹

Investigators conducted a territory-wide survey to study the risk factors and characteristics of GI-PACS in a population context. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between GI-PACS and possible risk factors, as well as the likelihood of other co-occurring symptoms with GI-PACS,

The survey included 8156 patients in Hong Kong who recovered from COVID-19 infection between July and November 2022. The study cohort had an average age of 43.3 years and consisted of 67.3 % of women. Information on date of infection, history of hospitalization, vaccination status, and persisting symptoms after infection were collected.

Investigators found that 90.6% of participants reported post-acute COVID-19 syndrome of different systems after acute infection and 69.4% of subjects still had persistent symptoms 5 months after infection. In particular, 40.8% reported GI-PACS, with 1 in 2 experiencing symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, acid reflux, bloating, or loss of appetite.

In patients infected with Omicron variants of COVID-19, the risks of GI-PACS were significantly lower than with earlier variants of the virus. Individuals with GI-PACS were significantly more likely to develop co-occurring symptoms involving multiple body systems, including respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, cognitive, psychiatric, ophthalmological, musculoskeletal, and dermatological.

Additionally, patients with GI-PACS were more likely to have an impact on their daily functioning, which included work, study, or interpersonal relationships.

“This population-based study reported possible risk factors for GI-PACS and was the first to reveal significant associations between GI-PACS and concurrent multi-system symptoms,” the authors wrote. “These findings suggest the importance of gastrointestinal involvement in the pathogenesis of multi-system PACS, warranting further research.”

Reference

1. Lau RI, Lau SFI, Ching JY, et al. Gastrointestinal involvement in post-acute COVID-19 syndrome: results from a population-based study of 8156 subjects. Featured at: Digestive Disease Week; May 6-9, 2023; Chicago, IL. Poster 1060.