LONDON: A global study research conducted in 14 countries including India reveals that Covid-19 is associated with an increased risk of developing long-term gastrointestinal disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome(IB)
Chronic intestinal disorders that affect the colon, such as altered bowel motility, bloating, and abdominal cramping, make up irritable bowel syndrome. Irritable bowel syndrome also appeared more frequently among those with new diagnoses, according to research published in the journal Gut. Also, it was found to be connected to allergies, respiratory issues while receiving treatment for Covid-19, and long-term use of proton pump inhibitors (gastroprotectant drugs that block acid production in the stomach).
The possibility that Covid-19 can cause the onset of irritable bowel syndrome is confirmed by the knowledge that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can also infect the gastrointestinal tract, according to Giovanni Marasco, a researcher at the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences at the University of Bologna in Italy.
In 36 hospitals across 14 nations namely Italy, Bangladesh, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, India, Macedonia, Malaysia, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey, 2,183 patients were hospitalised for the study.
Patients who had Covid-19 infections were assessed upon admission to the hospital and then monitored for the following 12 months in order to compare their health to that of patients who had not contracted the coronavirus. Analysis revealed that patients hospitalised for Covid reported having gastrointestinal symptoms more frequently (59.3%) than the control group (39.7 per cent). In addition, the researchers discovered that after 6 months and 12 months after hospitalisation, higher levels of anxiety and sadness were recorded among individuals who had Covid-19.
Furthermore, even six months after infection, the coronavirus was still detectable in the small intestine, according to the researchers. This makes Marasco and his team think that the development of the reported gastrointestinal symptoms may be related to the immune system's chronic inflammation and activation.
It was unknown whether coronavirus infection may also have these effects, despite the fact that it is widely recognised that viral infections can influence the gastrointestinal tract and specifically encourage the development of the illness.
In a different recent study, people with Covid-19 were found to have a higher risk of developing gastrointestinal (GI) disorders within a year of infection compared to people who haven't been infected, including liver issues, acute pancreatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux, and ulcers.
Giovanni Barbara, professor at the university's Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, says that given the widespread distribution of Covid-19 worldwide, we should anticipate an increase in diagnoses for disorders involving the gut-brain interface.
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