Outcomes in COVID-19 Patients with Acute Cholangitis: A Single-Center Retrospective Analysis

Abstract

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to assess the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on patients with acute cholangitis (AC) by comparing outcomes, complications, and hospital stays in a tertiary Gastroenterology department. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study was conducted in a tertiary gastroenterology department, collecting data from all AC and AC + COVID-19 patients between April 2020 and February 2022. Data included clinical and demographic information, COVID-19-specific details, acute cholangitis presentation, medical records, laboratory results, and interventions. AC was diagnosed using Tokyo Guidelines 2018 (TG18) criteria, with all patients undergoing bile culture sampling. Results: The study included 241 patients, 30 in the COVID group and 211 in the non-COVID group. The COVID group’s mean age was significantly higher (74.3 vs. 67.3 years, p p p Pseudomonas spp. was significantly more prevalent in COVID patients (16.7% vs. 5.7%, p = 0.028). Conclusions: Our study results show that COVID-19 affected the duration of hospitalization for patients with AC. Furthermore, this study presents observations regarding the impact of COVID-19 on AC, revealing differences in microbial profiles.

Keywords

• acute cholangitis
• COVID-19
• biliary drainage
• microorganisms