Functional gastrointestinal and somatoform symptoms five months after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection: A controlled cohort study

Background Gastrointestinal infections represent a risk factor for functional gastrointestinal and somatoform extraintestinal disorders. We investigated the prevalence and relative risk (RR) of gastrointestinal and somatoform symptoms 5 months after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection compared with a control cohor...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neurogastroenterology and motility Vol. 34; no. 2; pp. e14187 - n/a
Main Authors: Noviello, Daniele, Costantino, Andrea, Muscatello, Antonio, Bandera, Alessandra, Consonni, Dario, Vecchi, Maurizio, Basilisco, Guido
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.02.2022
John Wiley and Sons Inc
Subjects:
Adult
Arthralgia
Asthenia
chronic fatigue
Chronic infection
Cohort analysis
Cohort Studies
Complications
COVID-19 - complications
COVID-19 - epidemiology
COVID‐19
Diarrhea
Dyspnea
Fatigue
Female
Fever
functional gastrointestinal disorders
Gastrointestinal Diseases - epidemiology
Gastrointestinal Diseases - virology
Humans
Infections
Irritable bowel syndrome
Italy - epidemiology
Male
Middle Aged
Myalgia
Olfaction
Original
Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
Prevalence
Respiration
Risk factors
SARS-CoV-2
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Somatoform disorders
Somatoform Disorders - epidemiology
Somatoform Disorders - virology
Surveys and Questionnaires
Italy
COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2
functional gastrointestinal disorders
chronic fatigue
irritable bowel syndrome
ISSN:1350-1925, 1365-2982, 1365-2982
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Summary:Background Gastrointestinal infections represent a risk factor for functional gastrointestinal and somatoform extraintestinal disorders. We investigated the prevalence and relative risk (RR) of gastrointestinal and somatoform symptoms 5 months after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection compared with a control cohort. Methods One hundred and sixty‐four SARS‐CoV‐2 infected patients and 183 controls responded to an online questionnaire about symptoms and signs during the acute phase of the infection and after 4.8 ± 0.3 months. Presence and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms, somatization, anxiety, and depression were recorded with standardized questionnaires. Stool form and presence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were also recorded. Any association between exposure to infection and symptoms was evaluated by calculating crude and adjusted RR values and score differences with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Key Results Fever, dyspnea, loss of smell/taste/weight, diarrhea, myalgia, arthralgia, and asthenia were reported by more than 40% of patients during the acute phase. Compared with controls, adjusted RRs for loose stools, chronic fatigue, and somatization were increased after infection: 1.88 (95% CI 0.99–3.54), 2.24 (95% CI 1.48–3.37), and 3.62 (95% CI 1.01–6.23), respectively. Gastrointestinal sequelae were greater in patients with diarrhea during the acute phase. Conclusions & Inferences Mild gastroenterological symptoms persist 5 months after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, in particular in patients reporting diarrhea in the acute phase. Infected patients are at increased risk of chronic fatigue and somatoform disorders, thus supporting the hypothesis that both functional gastrointestinal and somatoform disorders may have a common biological origin. Mild gastrointestinal symptoms persist 5 months after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection together with an increased risk of chronic fatigue and somatoform symptoms. These results support the hypothesis that both functional gastrointestinal and somatoform disorders may have a common biological origin.
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ISSN:1350-1925
1365-2982
1365-2982
DOI:10.1111/nmo.14187