People who have had COVID-19 have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, such as liver problems, acute pancreatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux, within a year of infection compared to those who do not. Reflux and ulcers. , according to a study. Constipation, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, bloating and vomiting may also increase in people infected with Kovid.
“Gastrointestinal problems were the first to be reported by the patient community,” said senior author Ziad Al-Aly, a clinical epidemiologist at the University of Washington. “It is abundantly clear that the GI tract serves as a reservoir for the virus.”
The gastrointestinal system includes the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, rectum, and anus, as well as organs such as the liver and pancreas, which produce enzymes to aid in the digestion of food and liquids.
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For the study, published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers analyzed nearly 14 million medical records. They found that people with COVID-19 were 36 percent more likely to have a GI disorder than those who were not infected with the virus. This includes people who were and were not hospitalized due to the virus.
In addition, people who had Covid also had a 62 percent increased risk of developing ulcers in the lining of the stomach or small intestine; 35 percent increased risk of suffering from acid reflux disease; And the risk of experiencing acute pancreatitis increased by 46 percent.
Covid patients were 54 per cent more likely to suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, 47 per cent more likely to experience inflammation of the lining of the stomach, and 36 per cent more likely to have upset stomach for no apparent reason.
Similarly, people who had COVID-19 were 54 percent more likely to experience digestive symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, bloating, vomiting and abdominal pain, the findings showed.
Researchers estimate that, so far, infections caused by SARS-CoV-2 have contributed to 42 million new cases worldwide. “This is no small number,” Al-Aly said. “It is important to include GI health as an integral part of post-acute COVID care.”