Gastrointestinal manifestations in patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19): Impact on clinical outcomes

In this study, we summarized the data on gastrointestinal (GI) involvement and the potential association with clinical outcomes among the patients admitted to Khorshid Hospital.

We investigated 1113 inpatients (≥18 years old) diagnosed with coronavirus disease‑2019 (COVID‑19) from March to June 2020 in Khorshid Hospital. We collected demographic details, clinical information, vital signs, laboratory data, treatment type, and clinical outcomes from patients’ medical records. The data of patients with GI symptoms were compared with those without GI symptoms.

A total of 1113 patients were recruited (male = 648). GI symptoms were observed in 612 (56.8%) patients (male = 329), the most common of which were nausea 387 (34.7%), followed by diarrhea 286 (25.7%), vomiting 260 (23.4%), and abdominal pain 168 (15.0%). The most prominent non‑GI symptoms were cough 796 (71.5%), fever 792 (71.2%), shortness of breath 653 (58.7%), and body pain 591 (53.1%). The number of patients who were discharged, died, and were admitted to intensive care unit was significantly different in groups on the basis of GI and non‑GI symptoms (P = 0.002, 0.009, 0.003).

While COVID‑19 was predominantly diagnosed in males, GI symptoms were more commonly reported by females. The results indicated that GI symptoms in COVID‑19 patients are common, and the symptoms are not correlated with the severity of the disease. Moreover, the presence of GI symptoms was positively related to milder disease. Among COVID‑19 positive patients, the clinical outcomes of the GI group were promising, compared to those of non‑GI group.