Covid-19 increases the risk of gastrointestinal disorders

Lung, brain, heart, kidneys… Sars-CoV-2 and its variants can affect the body several months after infection. And the digestive system does not seem spared.

A study, conducted by Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis and the St. Louis Veterans Health Care System (USA), reveals that people who have had Covid-19 are at risk more likely to develop gastrointestinal disorders in the year following infection compared to those who were not affected by the virus.

Covid-19: 36% more likely to have stomach problems after infection

After studying the persistent effects of Covid-19 on the brain, heart and kidneys, Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly of Washington University looked into the gastrointestinal system. That is, the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestine, rectum and anus, as well as organs, such as the liver and pancreas.

For this research, the scientist and his team took about 14 million anonymized medical records from a database managed by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. More specifically, they worked on the data of 154,068 patients who tested positive for Covid-19 between March 1, 2020 and January 15, 2021 and who survived the first 30 days after infection. The researchers compared them with those of a control group of more than 5.6 million people who did not have Covid-19 over this period. The results were also compared with the files of a second group of more than 5.8 million individuals obtained between March 1, 2018 and December 31, 2019, i.e. before the epidemic.

The analysis shows that gastrointestinal disorders were 36% more likely in participants infected with the coronavirus than in people who had never had the disease. The problems spotted in Covid-19 patients are for example liver dysfunctions, acute pancreatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux and ulcers in the lining of the stomach or intestine. “The digestive tract (or gastrointestinal tract) “post-Covid-19″ is also associated with an increased likelihood of constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating and vomiting”note the authors of the study published in NatureCommunicationsMarch 7, 2023.

Long Covid: numerous gastrointestinal problems

According to the data collected, patients who have had Covid-19 are especially more likely to develop ulcers in the lining of the stomach or small intestine. The risk is 62% higher than someone who has never contracted Sars-CoV-2. The researchers also note a 35% increased risk of suffering from acid reflux and a 46% increased risk of suffering from acute pancreatitis.

“Also compared to control groups, patients who had had the virus were 54% more likely to suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, 47% more likely to suffer from inflammation of the stomach lining and 36% more likely to have an upset stomach with no obvious cause” add the authors in their communicated published on March 7, 2023.

Digestive symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, bloating, vomiting and abdominal pain were 54% more common in former Covid-19 patients.

“At this stage of our research, the findings on the gastrointestinal tract and the long Covid did not surprise us”acknowledged Dr. Al-Aly before adding “the virus can be destructive, even among those considered healthy or who have had mild infections. We are seeing the ability of Covid-19 to attack any organ system in the body, sometimes with serious consequences long-term, including death”.

Digestive disorders: Sars-CoV-2 responsible for 42 million new cases

According to estimates by the St Louis researchers, infections caused by Sars-CoV-2 have so far contributed to 42 million new cases of gastrointestinal disorders worldwide. The study shows that patients affected by these long-term complications were of all ages, genders and racial backgrounds.

“It is not a small number. It is crucial to include gastrointestinal health as an integral part of post-Covid care”says Dr. Al-Aly.