Journal of the Formosan Medical Association (Aug 2024)

Exacerbated gastrointestinal symptoms and long COVID in IBD patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection: A multi-center study from taiwan

  • Tsung-Yu Tsai,
  • Jia-Feng Wu,
  • Meng-Tzu Weng,
  • Chiao-Hsiung Chuang,
  • Tien-Yu Huang,
  • Wei-Chen Tai,
  • Chi-Ming Tai,
  • Chen-Shuan Chung,
  • Chih-Cheng Chen,
  • Ching-Pin Lin,
  • Yuan-Yao Tsai,
  • Shu-Chen Wei

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 123, no. 8
pp. 866 – 874

Abstract

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Background/purpose: Limited studies have addressed the exacerbation of symptoms and long COVID in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients following non-severe COVID-19 infection, particularly with post-COVID-19 vaccination. We aim to investigate factors associated with exacerbated gastrointestinal symptoms (EGS) and long COVID in IBD patients with non-severe COVID-19, which is most common situation in daily practice. Methods: This is an observational study by multiple centers in Taiwan from May 2020 to March 2023. We collected clinical manifestation, data, and medication information from IBD patients with non-severe COVID-19. EGS was defined as increased frequency of diarrhea, bloody stool, and abdomen pain within 14 days after SARS-COV-2 infection. Long COVID was defined following the guidelines of the World Health Organization. Results: Out of 90 patients, most of them (88.9%) received at least standard two doses of COVID-19 vaccination and the majority (87.8%) were mild diseases of COVID-19.30% of patients experienced EGS during COVID-19 with higher ESR levels serving as a predictive factor (Odds ratio: 3.6, 95% confidence interval: 1.2–10.5, P = 0.02). 38.1% of those patients developed long COVID. The patients who experienced EGS during COVID-19 and with a history of longer IBD duration showed a significant association with long COVID (p = 0.03 and p = 0.02). Conclusion: Our study revealed that EGS and long COVID occurred in one third of IBD patients with non-severe COVID-19, even though most of them had received the standard plus booster vaccination. We identified associated factors for EGS and long COVID, emphasizing the importance of post-COVID-19 follow-up in IBD patients.

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