ABSTRACT
Objective: COVID-19 pandemic has infected the entire world and causes obsolete morbidity and mortality. While respiratory symptoms are the most frequently reported, several recent studies revealed that gastrointestinal symptoms are not uncommon. Our aim in this observational study is to reveal the gastrointestinal symptoms of COVID-19 patients. Patients and Methods: Data of COVID-19 patients with gastrointestinal symptoms were recorded and retrospectively analyzed during their hospital follow-up period. 82 patients participated in the study and later on had a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Gender, age, systemic and gastrointestinal complaints, medical and surgical disease history, laboratory results, thorax computer tomography (CT) findings, and characteristics of gastrointestinal system (GIS) symptoms of patients were also recorded. Data were analyzed by statistical software. Results: The most common typical symptoms of COVID-19 patients were cough, anosmia, debility, and shortness of breath. Further, most of the gastrointestinal symptoms found in COVID-19 patients were nonspecific abdominal pain. Lymphopenia and elevated liver transaminases were the most common findings of the tests. Patients with diarrhea indicated watery diarrhea. Two patients also had ileus, they healed spontaneously without surgical intervention. Furthermore, all patients were discharged without any problems. Conclusion: Gastrointestinal symptoms are typical in COVID-19 patients. However, these symptoms do not seem to have a detrimental effect on the progression of the disease. In our study group, there was no need for surgical intervention, but COVID-19 patients with gastrointestinal symptoms should be treated by a multidisciplinary approach.
ABSTRACT
Objective: Early detection of mortality risk is important in patients diagnosed with of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the predictive value of different clinical and laboratory parameters in disease severity and mortality in patients with COVID-19. Materials and Methods: Patients admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of COVID-19 were evaluated retrospectively. The patients' admission date, discharge date, intensive care transfer/death date, contact history, smoking, symptoms at the time admission, vital markers at admission, and laboratory parameters were recorded. Results: The study included a total of 347 patients, of whom 168 (48.4%) were women. The mean age of the patients was 59.69 +/- 16.87 (14-97) years, while 40.9% (n=142) were aged over 65 years. Overall, 10.1% (n=35) of the patients required transfer to an intensive care unit and 8.4% (n=29) were deceased. When clinical parameters were evaluated at the time of admission, oxygen saturation was found to be lower in the group that died. (79.51 +/- 6.95) compared to the survivors (88.78 +/- 6.11) (p<0.001). Additionally, male gender (p=0.05), advanced age (p<0.001), positive PCR result (p=0.036), congestive heart failure (p=0.044), severe COVID-19 involvement on thorax CT (p<0.001), and presence of at least one comorbidity (p=0.003) were observed at a higher rate in the mortality group. In the multivariate analyses, increased values of the NLR (HR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.00-1.08), creatinine (OR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.13-1.66), CRP (=-0.18, OR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.97-0.99), GGT (OR: 1.006, 95% CI: 1.001-1.012), age (OR: 5.67, 95% CI: 2.24-14.38), male gender (OR: 2.38, 95% CI: 0.98-5.75), and presence of any comorbidity (OR: 5.23, 95% CI: 2.08-13.13) were associated with mortality. Conclusions: Several clinical and laboratory parameters, such as advanced age, male gender, presence of any comorbidity, and NLR, GGT, CRP and creatinine levels at the time of admission can predict mortality in COVID-19 patients. These parameters obtained at the time of admission can contribute to the reduction of mortality through a closer clinical and laboratory follow-up in these patients.