Gastrointestinal Symptoms Related to Covid-19 Vary Highly

JAKARTA – A study reveals that about one in five patients with Covid-19 only shows gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The findings suggest that abdominal radiologists need to remain vigilant during a pandemic when imaging patients.

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Quoting from Times Now News, Thursday (5/11), gastrointestinal symptoms associated with Covid-19 varies widely, but can include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and general stomach pain.

Education published in the journal Abdominal Radiology This found that 18% of patients had such symptoms, while 16% of Covid-19 cases presented only with gastrointestinal symptoms.

“There is a growing body of literature suggesting that stomach symptoms are a common presentation for Covid-19,” said Mitch Wilson, a radiologist and clinical lecturer at the University of Alberta in Canada.

The researchers examined the findings of 36 studies published through July 15, 2020 to reach their conclusions.

In addition to gastrointestinal symptoms, researchers also determined potential signs that radiologists should look for when performing abdominal imaging that could be evidence of Covid-19 infection.

Symptoms include inflammation of the small and large intestine, air within the intestinal wall or pneumatiosis and bowel perforation or pneumoperitoneum. Wilson added that these symptoms are very rare, and could indicate a patient with advanced disease.

“Seeing these things does not necessarily tell us a patient has Covid-19. It could be from various potential causes,” added Wilson.

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But one of those potential causes, Wilson explained, is infection from a virus, and in an environment where Covid-19 is so prevalent. “That’s something that needs to be considered and has the potential to be raised as a possibility to the referring doctor,” he said.

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