Digestive manifestations in patients with COVID-19

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11493394

Keywords:

covid-19, ; hemorrhagic shock, gastrointestinal diseases, sars-cov-2

Abstract

Introduction: COVID-19 is a disease with a wide clinical spectrum, where digestive manifestations can not only accompany, but sometimes precede respiratory symptoms.

Objective: to describe the main digestive manifestations in patients with COVID-19.

Methods: a bibliographic review was carried out on the subject, where 31 articles in English and Spanish were consulted, available in the PubMed, Medline, Lilacs, SciELO databases and in the Google Scholar search engine.

Development: despite the fact that most patients with COVID-19 present predominantly respiratory symptoms, some may present digestive manifestations, which is determined by the affinity of SARS-CoV-2 for the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor, present on the cell surface of much of the digestive tract and to a lesser extent at the liver level.

Conclusions: digestive manifestations in patients with COVID-19 are relatively common and could be a clinical presentation of the disease. Gastrointestinal symptoms reported have been diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, abdominal pain and in some cases digestive bleeding. The hepatogram revealed a mild, transient elevation of transaminases without clinical relevance. In severe cases, hypoalbuminemia has been described, without any other element of liver failure.

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Author Biographies

Alberto Martínez Sarmiento, Hospital General Provincial Docente “Dr. Antonio Luaces Iraola. Ciego de Ávila.

Máster en Enfermedades Infecciosas. Especialista de Primer y Segundo Grados en Gastroenterología. Especialista de Primer Grado en Medicina General Integral. Profesor Auxiliar. Investigador Agregado. Hospital General Provincial Docente “Dr. Antonio Luaces Iraola. Ciego de Ávila.

Milagros Cárdenas Quintana, Hospital General Provincial Docente “Dr. Antonio Luaces Iraola” de Ciego de Ávila.

Máster en Procederes Diagnósticos en el Primer Nivel de Atención de Salud. Especialista de Primer y Segundo Grados en Gastroenterología. Especialista de Primer Grado en Medicina General Integral. Profesor Asistente. Hospital General Provincial Docente “Dr. Antonio Luaces Iraola” de Ciego de Ávila.

María Lucía Martínez Ruíz, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas “José Assef Yara”

Estudiante de segundo año de la carrera de Medicina. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas “José Assef Yara”.

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Published

2023-05-05

How to Cite

1.
Martínez Sarmiento A, Quintana MC, Ruíz MLM. Digestive manifestations in patients with COVID-19. Mediciego [Internet]. 2023 May 5 [cited 2024 Jul. 27];29(1):e3453. Available from: https://revmediciego.sld.cu/index.php/mediciego/article/view/3453

Issue

Section

Review article