Microbiota and intestinal permeability as drivers of gastroenterological manifestations of new coronavirus infection (COVID-19)

ABSTRACT

An important area of effective control of the COVID-19 pandemic is the study of the pathogenetic features of SARSCoV-2 infection, including those based on the assessment of the state of the microbiota and intestinal permeability. Purpose: To study the clinical features of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in patients of mild and moderate severity at the stage of hospitalization, to determine the role of intestinal permeability disorders, changes in the qualitative and quantitative composition of the microbiota in the formation of systemic inflammation in COVID-19 patients. Material and methods: The study was performed in 80 patients with COVID-19, whose average age was 45 years, 19 of them had mild and 61 had moderate severity of the disease. The scope of the examination included traditional clinical, clinical and laboratory, biochemical, instrumental and radiation studies, as well as original methods for studying microbiota and intestinal permeability. Results and conclusions: Clinical features of the course of COVID-19 were studied, clinical and biochemical features, manifestations of systemic inflammation, changes in the intestinal microbiome of patients with mild and moderate severity were identified, concentration levels of proinflammatory cytokines, insulin, fecal calprotectin and zonulin were determined, reflecting the features of intestinal permeability against the background of COVID-19. The role of intestinal permeability and microbiota as the main drivers of the development of gastroenterological manifestations of COVID-19, accompanied by a more severe course of the disease, is emphasized. © 2021 Interregional public organization Association of infectious disease specialists of Saint-Petersburg and Leningrad region (IPO AIDSSPbR). All rights reserved.