Gastrointestinal and hepatic manifestations of COVID-19 patients in tertiary care hospitals in Bangladesh

Introduction: The worldwide pandemic of COVID-19 caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2 has continued to progress and increasing information is becoming available about the incidence of gastrointestinal symptoms as well as abnormal liver functions test of the patients who are infected. Patients with severe disease are more likely to developed gastrointestinal symptoms specially diarrhea and altered liver functions test. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out in COVID-19 inpatients department of BSMMU and DMCH, Dhaka. In total 140 patients, 95 male and 45 female were included in this study. Result: About 42% patients belonged to mild COVID-19 group, 17% moderate and 41% severe COVID group. In our study 58 (41.4%) patients had diabetes mellitus, 47 (33.6%) had hypertension, 42 (30%) had ischemic heart disease, 11 (7.8%) had bronchial asthma, 8 (5.7%) was obese, 5 (3.5%) had hypothyroidism. Cough was the predominant symptoms in 114 (81%) patients followed by fever 110 (79%), shortness of breath 57 (41%), body ache 51 (36%), sore throat 33 (23%), anosmia 21(15%), others 10 (7%). Among gastrointestinal manifestations anorexia (32.1%) was most common symptoms followed by diarrhoea (29.3%), nausea (16.4%), vomiting (11.4%), abdominal pain (10%) and GI bleeding (2%). GI symptoms were the initial presentation in 18% patients. Conclusion: This study revealed that gastrointestinal manifestations were present in a significant portion of patients. Diarrhoea was a common GI symptom. Gastrointestinal symptoms were the initial presentation of COVID-19.