ABSTRACT
BackgroundThe prevalence and significance of digestive manifestations in COVID-19 remain uncertain. MethodsConsecutive patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were identified across a geographically diverse alliance of medical centers in North America. Data pertaining to baseline characteristics, symptomatology, laboratory assessment, imaging, and endoscopic findings from the time of symptom onset until discharge or death were manually abstracted from electronic health records to characterize the prevalence, spectrum, and severity of digestive manifestations. Regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association between digestive manifestations and severe outcomes related to COVID-19. ResultsA total of 1992 patients across 36 centers met eligibility criteria and were included. Overall, 53% of patients experienced at least one gastrointestinal symptom at any time during their illness, most commonly diarrhea (34%), nausea (27%), vomiting (16%), and abdominal pain (11%). In 74% of cases, gastrointestinal symptoms were judged to be mild. In total, 35% of patients developed an abnormal alanine aminotransferase or total bilirubin level; these were elevated to less than 5 times the upper limit of normal in 77% of cases. After adjusting for potential confounders, the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms at any time (odds ratio 0.93, 95% confidence interval 0.76-1.15) or liver test abnormalities on admission (odds ratio 1.31, 95% confidence interval 0.80-2.12) were not independently associated with mechanical ventilation or death. ConclusionsAmong patients hospitalized with COVID-19, gastrointestinal symptoms and liver test abnormalities were common but the majority were mild and their presence was not associated with a more severe clinical course
ABSTRACT
The clinical presentation of chronic pancreatitis includes pain, steatorrhea and diabetes. The most common etiology in the western world is excess alcohol use. Pain is present in >70% patients at presentation and decreases in intensity or resolves over several years in up to 75% of patients. Non-pancreatic causes of pain and local complications, chiefly pseudocysts and biliary obstruction should be excluded in all patients. All patients should be advised to abstain from alcohol and smoking and opiates should be used only to control severe exacerbations of pain. Although pancreatic enzyme replacement is reported to be useful in the management of pancreatic pain, it is of little or no benefit in patients with established chronic pancreatitis. Celiac plexus block using steroids may be helpful to tide patients over an episode of severe pain. Intractable pain is an indication for surgery that includes pancreatic drainage procedure or pancreatic resection. For control of malabsorption, adequate pancreatic enzyme replacement with or without an acid reducing agent is recommended. The principles of management of pancreatic diabetes are similar to diabetes mellitus.
