Mechanisms of gastrointestinal barrier dysfunction in COVID-19 patients
Mechanisms of gastrointestinal barrier dysfunction in COVID-19 patients
Xue W, Honda M, Hibi T. Mechanisms of gastrointestinal barrier dysfunction in COVID-19 patients. World J Gastroenterol 2023; 29(15): 2283-2293 [PMID: 37124884 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i15.2283]
Digestive system infection by SARS‑CoV‑2: Entry mechanism, clinical symptoms and expression of major receptors (Review)
Investigations are ongoing to determine how SARS-CoV-2 infects the gastrointestinal tract. It is known that the SARS-CoV-2 S protein binds to ACE2 of the host cell, cleaves the S protein with the help of proteases such as TMPRSS2 and then forms fusion pores to release RNA into the cytoplasm. The virus is multiplied in infected cells, which sets off an inflammatory reaction. It is not possible to rule out the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 infection when diagnosing digestive illnesses in the setting of the outbreak. The risk of SARS-CoV-2 cannot be denied, regardless of whether it directly affects the target organ, causing severe pancreatitis, gastrointestinal hemorrhage or liver damage, or whether it indirectly aggravates these conditions. Secondly, it is important to take into account both drug and viral harm to target organs while treating digestive system disorders, and to minimize the combined effects of medications.
A descriptive study of abdominal complications in patients with mild COVID-19 presenting to the emergency department: a single-center experience in Japan during the omicron variant phase - BMC Gastroenterology
A descriptive study of abdominal complications in patients with mild COVID-19 presenting to the emergency department: a single-center experience in Japan during the omicron variant phase
Gut microbiome alterations and gut barrier dysfunction are associated with host immune homeostasis in COVID-19 patients - BMC Medicine
Gut microbiome alterations and gut barrier dysfunction are associated with host immune homeostasis in COVID-19 patients
Our results suggest that the dysbiosis of the gut microbiome and the dysfunction of the gut barrier might play a role in the pathophysiology of COVID-19 by affecting host immune homeostasis.
GI symptoms in patients were seen in 12% after COVID-19 and 22% as part of long COVID. Loss of appetite, dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, loss of taste, and abdominal pain were the five most common GI symptoms of long COVID. Significant heterogeneity and small number of studies for some of the analyses are limitations of the systematic review.
Approximately one-half of COVID-19 patients shed fecal RNA in the week after diagnosis
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Four percent of patients with COVID-19 shed fecal viral RNA 7 months after diagnosis
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Presence of fecal SARS-CoV-2 RNA is associated with gastrointestinal symptoms
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SARS-CoV-2 likely infects gastrointestinal tissue
Alterations in microbiota of patients with COVID-19: potential mechanisms and therapeutic interventions
There is accumulating evidence that the microbiota are significantly altered in patients with COVID-19 and post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS). Microbiota are powerful immunomodulatory factors in various human diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, cancers, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and certain viral infections. In the present review, we explore the associations between host microbiota and COVID-19 in terms of their clinical relevance.
Human Gut Microbiota and Its Metabolites Impact Immune Responses in COVID-19 and Its Complications
We investigate interrelationships between gut microbes, metabolites, and cytokines that characterize COVID-19 and its complications, and we validate the results with follow-up, the Japanese 4D (Disease, Drug, Diet, Daily Life) microbiome cohort, and non-Japanese data sets.
Alterations in gut immunological barrier in SARS-CoV-2 infection and their prognostic potential
The gastrointestinal tract may be directly infected by SARS-CoV-2 or secondarily affected by viremia and the release of inflammatory mediators that cause viral entry from the respiratory epithelium. Impaired intestinal barrier function in SARS-CoV-2 infection is a key factor leading to excessive microbial and endotoxin translocation, which triggers a strong systemic immune response and leads to the development of viral sepsis syndrome with severe sequelae.
Intestinal Damage, Inflammation and Microbiota Alteration during COVID-19 Infection
Intestinal Damage, Inflammation & Microbiota Alteration during COVID19 Infection: meta-analysis of 60 studies;collective prevalence of 17.6% for gastrointestinal symptoms in COVID19,rates of incidence range upto 53%
Analysis thread on Twitter
1/3 Viral persistence and spike shedding may decrease the amount of ACE2 in some cell types and tissues. 2012 research showed that knock-out of the ACE2 gene in mice resulted in greatly increased inflammation in the gut following intestinal damage.
A descriptive study of abdominal complications in patients with mild COVID-19 presenting to the emergency department: a single-center experience in Japan during the omicron variant phase - BMC Gastroenterology
"Our study showed that acute hemorrhagic colitis was characteristic in mild cases of the omicron variant of COVID-19 with gastrointestinal bleeding."
Anecdote
This entire thread hits home. The GI issues from gastroparesis, GI bleeding and possibility of crohn's disease after having COVID is a hellscape I wasn't expecting. I expected the heart, lung and blood issues, but not the gastro issues.
A recent study found that people who had COVID have a 36% higher chance of developing long-term gastrointestinal problems, including disorders like gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), along with more benign symptoms like constipation and diarrhea.
“People who have had COVID-19 have a 36% overall higher risk of developing gastrointestinal (GI) problems in the year after infection than people who have not had the illness, a large new study indicates.” (And we know the risks increase with reinfection.)
"Gastrointestinal manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 are reported in 10–50% of patients, being diarrhea, nausea, vomiting & abdominal pain the most frequent ones.. several studies reported ileus, intestinal ischemia, perforation & gastrointestinal bleeding.. "
Comparison of thrombus, gut, and oral microbiomes in Korean patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction: a case–control study
Related:
THE MICROBIOME OF THROMBUS OR CLOTS
IT IS CORRELATED WITH THE INTESTINAL AND ORAL MICROBIOMES
This study identified microbes inside the thrombi which coincided with those present at the intestinal and oral level
These would influence the formation of clots
IBD is an autoimmune condition, which studies have shown increases a person’s chances of Long Covid. Now doctors are seeing both de novo IBD after Covid and worsening of existing IBD. (see this thread). More research is needed. Another reason for high grade mask & ventilation.