HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, July 9, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Some radical severely sick with COVID-19 whitethorn conflict to regain mislaid weight for months afterward, a caller survey shows.
While COVID-19 is chiefly a respiratory illness, it's go wide that the corruption tin wreak havoc connected the assemblage successful galore ways. Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms -- similar nausea, diarrhea and adjacent bleeding successful the digestive tract -- are among the manifestations.
In immoderate cases, GI problems are the lone evident symptom, said Dr. Arvind Trindade, of Northwell Health's Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research successful Manhasset, N.Y.
Exactly however GI issues resoluteness successful patients earnestly sick with COVID has been unclear.
So Trindade and his colleagues examined records from much than 17,000 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 successful their wellness strategy betwixt March 2020 and January 2021.
Overall, they found, astir one-fifth had GI problems erstwhile they arrived astatine the hospital.
Most often that meant gastroenteritis, an inflammation successful the digestive tract that causes symptoms similar nausea, cramps and diarrhea.
Meanwhile, galore different patients developed GI bleeding, portion a tiny fig had inflammation successful the pancreas, which tin trigger abdominal pain and vomiting.
Another communal contented was malnutrition -- which tin hap erstwhile patients are earnestly sick successful the infirmary for agelong periods of time, Trindade said.
Since COVID tin spur wide inflammation successful the body, it's not astonishing that patients commonly endure GI symptoms, said Dr. Aaron Glatt, a spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America who was not progressive successful the research.
But different uncovering was thing of a astonishment to Glatt: Of patients who became malnourished during their infirmary stay, a important percent were inactive having occupation regaining value six months later.
Trindade agreed that it's striking, and there's nary wide explanation. In his experience, patients with persistent value nonaccomplishment accidental they are trying to enactment connected pounds -- with the assistance of macromolecule supplements, for illustration -- but conscionable can't bash it, helium said.
More probe is needed to recognize the reasons, helium said, adding, "There's inactive truthful overmuch we're learning astir COVID."
Continued
The findings -- published precocious successful the diary Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology -- are based connected 17,462 patients hospitalized for COVID-19. More than 3,200, oregon 18.5%, had GI manifestations.
Of those patients, 715 returned 3 and/or six months aboriginal for an outpatient visit. For 90% oregon more, problems with gastroenteritis, pancreatitis and GI bleeding had resolved.
Meanwhile, 81 patients with malnutrition were inactive incapable to summation value astatine the three-month mark. Their median value nonaccomplishment was astir 15 pounds -- meaning fractional had dropped more, and fractional less.
By the six-month point, 44 patients were inactive struggling to battalion connected immoderate pounds, with a median value nonaccomplishment of astir 18 pounds.
Trindade pointed to the positives successful the findings. "It is reassuring that the immense bulk of GI issues resolved," helium said.
But for those with stubborn value loss, Trindade said, it's important to person ongoing care, including visits with a nutritionist whenever possible.
Glatt said that with the scope of "long haul" symptoms turning up successful COVID patients, "there is nary one-size-fits-all management."
"It's important that you beryllium followed up by the due specializer for your symptoms," helium said.
Glatt besides stressed the value of prevention, done vaccination and measures to debar interaction with the virus.
"The champion mode to debar these semipermanent symptoms is to not get COVID," helium said.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has much connected long COVID.
SOURCES: Arvind Trindade, MD, subordinate professor, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research astatine Northwell Health, Manhasset, N.Y.; Aaron Glatt, MD, chief, infectious diseases, Mount Sinai South Nassau, Oceanside, N.Y., and spokesman, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Arlington, Va.; Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, June 30, 2021, online
English (US) ·