Intestinal ischemic manifestations of SARS-CoV-2: Results from the ABDOCOVID multicentre study

Thrombotic Features as the Primary Cause of SARS-CoV-2 Related Acute Abdomen in Children

OBJECTIVES

We performed a retrospective case control study to evaluate the histological characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) positive pediatric patients undergoing laparoscopic exploration for acute abdomen symptoms. To our knowledge this is the first study that analyzes histopathological characteristics of abdominal tissues in SARS-CoV-2 children.

STUDY DESIGN

We enrolled 8 multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) patients and 4 SARS-CoV-2 positive patients who underwent intestinal resection versus 36 control appendectomies from 2 pediatric tertiary referral centers between March 2020 and July 2021. Surgical resection samples were evaluated on several histological sections focusing on general inflammatory pattern and degree of inflammation. Peculiar histological features (endotheliitis and vascular thrombosis) were semi-quantitatively scored respectively in capillary, veins, and arteries.

RESULTS

All SARS-CoV-2 related surgical samples showed thrombotic patterns. Those patterns were significantly less frequent in SARS-CoV-2 negative appendectomies ( P = 0.004). The semi-quantitative score of thrombosis was significantly higher ( P = 0.002) in patients with SARS-CoV-2 related procedures.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results showed that SARS-CoV-2 can cause thrombotic damage in abdominal tissues both in the acute phase of the infection (SARS-CoV-2 related appendectomies) and secondary to cytokine storm (MIS-C).

A Pictorial Essay Describing the CT Imaging Features of COVID-19 Cases throughout the Pandemic with a Special Focus on Lung Manifestations and Extrapulmonary Vascular Abdominal Complications

With the Omicron wave, SARS-CoV-2 infections improved, with less lung involvement and few cases of severe manifestations. In this pictorial review, there is a summary of the pathogenesis with particular focus on the interaction of the immune system and gut and lung axis in both pulmonary and extrapulmonary manifestations of COVID-19 and the computed tomography (CT) imaging features of COVID-19 pneumonia from the beginning of the pandemic, describing the typical features of COVID-19 pneumonia following the Delta variant and the atypical features appearing during the Omicron wave. There is also an outline of the typical features of COVID-19 pneumonia in cases of breakthrough infection, including secondary lung complications such as acute respiratory distress disease (ARDS), pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, and lung pulmonary thromboembolism, which were more frequent during the first waves of the pandemic. Finally, there is a description of vascular extrapulmonary complications, including both ischemic and hemorrhagic abdominal complications.

The Spectrum of Digestive Tract Histopathologic Findings in the Setting of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 Infection: What Pathologists Need to Know

Although the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 is known primarily to affect the respiratory system, current evidence supports its capability to infect and induce gastrointestinal tract injury. Data describing the histopathologic alterations of the digestive system in patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 are becoming more detailed, as the number of studies is increasing and the quality of our insight into the infection and the histopathologic findings is improving. This review highlights the range of pathologic findings that could be observed in gastrointestinal specimens from patients infected with coronavirus disease 2019 and the potential underlying pathogenetic mechanisms of this disease.

Ischemia-induced intestinal de-epithelization and consequent cholangitis lenta after usage of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in COVID-19 patients: an autopsy series

Since its discovery in late 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has spread around the world, causing millions of deaths due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Numerous clinical and post-mortem investigations of COVID-19 cases have found myriad clinical and pathological manifestations of the disease. In this report, we present three autopsy cases in which, despite weaning from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), extensive intestinal epithelial shedding, probably due to ischemia, was followed by massive watery diarrhea and the spread of infection via the portal vein due to bacterial translocation, which resulted in cholangitis lenta. Thrombophilia was attributed to ECMO usage and COVID-19-related vascular endothelial damage. These cases provide instructive findings showing that the loss of the intestinal barrier may be the underlying cause of severe watery diarrhea and liver failure in COVID-19 patients, especially with ECMO usage.

The Impact of COVID-19 Infection on Miscellaneous Inflammatory Disorders of the Gastrointestinal Tract

The novel coronavirus pandemic of COVID-19 has emerged as a highly significant recent threat to global health with about 600,000,000 known infections and more than 6,450,000 deaths worldwide since its emergence in late 2019. COVID-19 symptoms are predominantly respiratory, with mortality largely related to pulmonary manifestations, but the virus also potentially infects all parts of the gastrointestinal tract with related symptoms and manifestations that affect patient treatment and outcome. COVID-19 can directly infect the gastrointestinal tract because of the presence of widespread angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors in the stomach and small intestine that can cause local COVID-19 infection and associated inflammation. This work reviews the pathopysiology, clinical manifestations, workup, and treatment of miscellaneous inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract other than inflammatory bowel disease.

A descriptive study of abdominal complications in patients with mild COVID-19 presenting to the emergency department: a single-center experience in Japan during the omicron variant phase

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 is widely known to induce a variety of extrapulmonary manifestations. Gastrointestinal symptoms have been identified as the most common extra-pulmonary manifestations of COVID-19, with an incidence reported to range from 3 to 61%. Although previous reports have addressed abdominal complications with COVID-19, these have not been adequately elucidated for the omicron variant. The aim of our study was to clarify the diagnosis of concomitant abdominal diseases in patients with mild COVID-19 who presented to hospital with abdominal symptoms during the sixth and seventh waves of the pandemic of the omicron variant in Japan.

METHODS

This study was a retrospective, single-center, descriptive study. In total, 2291 consecutive patients with COVID-19 who visited the Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Kansai Medical University Medical Center, Osaka, Japan, between January 2022 and September 2022 were potentially eligible for the study. Patients delivered by ambulance or transferred from other hospitals were not included. We collected and described physical examination results, medical history, laboratory data, computed tomography findings and treatments. Data collected included diagnostic characteristics, abdominal symptoms, extra-abdominal symptoms and complicated diagnosis other than that of COVID-19 for abdominal symptoms.

RESULTS

Abdominal symptoms were present in 183 patients with COVID-19. The number of patients with each abdominal symptom were as follows: nausea and vomiting (86/183, 47%), abdominal pain (63/183, 34%), diarrhea (61/183, 33%), gastrointestinal bleeding (20/183, 11%) and anorexia (6/183, 3.3%). Of these patients, 17 were diagnosed as having acute hemorrhagic colitis, five had drug-induced adverse events, two had retroperitoneal hemorrhage, two had appendicitis, two had choledocholithiasis, two had constipation, and two had anuresis, among others. The localization of acute hemorrhagic colitis was the left-sided colon in all cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed that acute hemorrhagic colitis was characteristic in mild cases of the omicron variant of COVID-19 with gastrointestinal bleeding. When examining patients with mild COVID-19 with gastrointestinal bleeding, the potential for acute hemorrhagic colitis should be kept in mind.

Incidence and outcomes of splanchnic vein thrombosis after diagnosis of COVID-19 or COVID-19 vaccination: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and COVID-19 vaccination may cause splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT), which is potentially fatal. The present study aims to pool the incidence and outcomes of SVT patients with COVID-19 or having received COVID-19 vaccines. The PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched. Based on the data from cohort studies, meta-analyses were performed to evaluate the incidence of SVT in COVID-19 patients or people having received COVID-19 vaccines. Pooled proportions were calculated. Based on the individual data from case reports, logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with death in SVT patients. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated. Among 654 papers initially identified, 135 were included. Based on 12 cohort studies, the pooled incidence of SVT in COVID-19 patients was 0.6%. Data were insufficient to estimate the incidence of SVT after COVID-19 vaccination. Based on 123 case reports, the mortality was 14% (9/64) in SVT patients with COVID-19 and 25% (15/59) in those who received COVID-19 vaccines. Univariate analyses demonstrated that age (OR = 1.061; p = 0.017), diabetes mellitus (OR = 14.00; p = 0.002), anticoagulation (OR = 0.098; p = 0.004), and bowel resection (OR = 16.00; p = 0.001) were significantly associated with death in SVT patients with COVID-19; and anticoagulation (OR = 0.025; p = 0.003) and intravenous immunoglobulin (OR = 0.175; p = 0.046) were significantly associated with death in SVT patients who received COVID-19 vaccines. Multivariate analyses did not identify any independent factor for death in both patients. SVT in COVID-19 patients and in subjects who received COVID-19 vaccines carries a high mortality, but may be improved by anticoagulation. PROSPERO Identifier CRD42022315254.

Ischemic and hemorrhagic abdominal complications in COVID-19 patients: experience from the first Italian wave

PURPOSE

To report ischemic and haemorrhagic abdominal complications in a series of COVID-19 patients. To correlate these complications with lung involvement, laboratory tests, comorbidities, and anticoagulant treatment.

METHODS

We retrospectively included 30 COVID-19 patients who undergone abdomen CECT for abdominal pain, between March 16 and May 19, 2020. Ischemic and haemorrhagic complications were compared with lung involvement (early, progressive, peak or absorption stage), blood coagulation values, anticoagulant therapy, comorbidities, and presence of pulmonary embolism (PE).

RESULTS

Ischemic complications were documented in 10 patients (7 receiving anticoagulant therapy, 70%): 6/10 small bowel ischemia (1 concomitant obstruction, 1 perforation) and 4/10 ischemic colitis. Main mesenteric vessels were patent except for 1 superior mesenteric vein thrombosis. Two ischemia cases also presented splenic infarctions. Bleeding complications were found in 20 patients (all receiving anticoagulant treatments), half with active bleeding: hematomas in soft tissues (15) and retroperitoneum (2) and gastro-intestinal bleeding (3). Platelet and lymphocyte were within the normal range. D-Dimer was significantly higher in ischemic cases (p < 0.001). Most of the patients had severe lung disease (45% peak, 29% absorption), two patients PE.

CONCLUSIONS

Ischemic and haemorrhagic abdominal complications may occur in COVID-19 patients, particularly associated to extended lung disease. CT plays a key role in the diagnosis of these potentially life- threatening conditions.

Features of the intestine conditions at patients with a new coronavirus infection

COVID-19 infection may present with gastrointestinal lesions in up to 25% of patients. One of the target organs of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is the intestine. The pathogenesis of intestinal damage in a new coronavirus infection remains unclear and requires further in-depth study. Possible mechanisms include a direct cytotoxic effect of the virus, a persistent reduction in butyrate-producing bacteria, side effects of drugs, Clostridioides difficile infection, microvascular thrombosis, and the immune-mediated inflammatory reactions in the intestine. The most common symptom of intestinal damage during coronavirus infection, both in the acute phase and in the post-COVID period, is diarrhea. The impact of many aggressive factors on the intestines can form both long-term functional disorders and be the cause of the onset of organic diseases. Treatment should be aimed at possible causes of intestinal damage (Clostridioides difficile), as well as reducing inflammation, restoring intestinal permeability, cytoprotection of mucosal cells, replenishing butyric acid deficiency. When choosing a therapy for intestinal disorders, preference should be given to drugs with a pleiotropic effect in order to influence various possible pathogenetic mechanisms.

COVID-19 and Intestinal Ischemia: A Multicenter Case Series

Introduction

Gastrointestinal symptoms are common among COVID-19 patients. Although gastrointestinal involvements are mostly benign, they rarely indicate a severe pathology like intestinal ischemia. The present case series describes 21 patients with bowel ischemia, necrosis, or perforation.

Methods

The present case series was conducted from April 2020 to February 2022 in the surgical wards of two Iranian hospitals. We retrospectively included adult patients with concomitant COVID-19 and intestinal ischemia. Primary outcomes were defined as the length of stay and survival.

Results

Twenty-four patients with a median age of 61.5 years were included in the study. Sixteen (67%) patients were male, and 13 (54%) were without any comorbidities. Macrovascular mesenteric ischemia was not identified in 21 patients (87.5%). Gastrointestinal manifestations appeared on the median of seven days (range 2–21) after the diagnosis of COVID-19, with the most common symptom being abdominal pain. All the patients had a significantly elevated C-Reactive Protein prior to surgery, ranging from 68 to 362. D-dimer was measured in eight patients and was significantly elevated, ranging from 1,878 to over 5,000 ng/mL. One patient was managed conservatively due to a good clinical condition. Except for one patient with angioinvasive mucormycosis and one other with leukocytoclastic vasculitis, pathologic evaluation revealed general features of intestinal necrosis, including ulcer, hemorrhage, necrosis, neutrophilic infiltration (in seven patients), neutrophilic abscess (in four patients), and edema. Bowel necrosis accompanied mortality of 15 (62.5%) patients and a median of 6.5 days of hospital stay.

Conclusion

Intestinal ischemia in COVID-19 patients is associated with a high mortality rate. Further research is needed to elucidate the dynamics of intestinal ischemia in the setting of COVID-19.