Post COVID symptoms include pulmonary, cardiological, neurological and psychiatric symptoms, however patients may also experience gastroenterological problems and an increase in liver enzyme levels. The post COVID clinic of the 1st Department of Surgery and Interventional Gastroenterology welcomes all patients who have already recovered from the coronavirus infection, but are still coping with gastroenterological symptoms (diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite) and gastrointestinal disorders months after the onset of the virus, if the symptoms do not correlate with any other disease. Patients willing to receive the clinic’s post COVID treatment need to have an appointment and a doctor’s referral.
The specialists of the 1st. Department of Surgery and Interventional Gastroenterology were the ones to initiate the opening of a post COVID clinic, as they had encountered many recovered patients still suffering from the long-term symptoms that may be correlated with the coronavirus – added dr. Attila Szijártó. Dr. Szijártó (head of the 1st Department of Surgery and Interventional Gastroenterology) explained that a high number of patients reported problems caused by intestinal failure, while others developed liver disorders or gastrointestinal diseases. Following COVID 19 infection, a vast number of patients showed symptoms of gastric acid hypersecretory.
Approximately 10 percent of recovered COVID patients develop gastroenterological problems, the most common being diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. In 3 to 16 percent of the cases symptoms may occur without experiencing respiratory disorders. Respiratory problems indicate of the most severe case of coronavirus. During their illness, 14 to 53 percent of patients reported enzyme abnormalities, which shows the disfunction of the liver.
These symptoms may linger over time for some, however dr. Attila Szijártó pointed out that patients can develop gastroenterological problems after the infection, even if they had not experienced any during their illness. They have come across cases where COVID 19 caused respiratory problems, however after the infection cleared, patients developed gastrointestinal disorders.
If the result of the medical examination shows that symptoms may correlate with a coronavirus infection, the healthcare professionals of the COVID department of the Gastroenterology Clinic will start the treatment involving therapies that can cure typical gastroenterological illnesses. It is very important for the physician to discover the real reason behind the symptoms, in case of a COVID infection, medication and the duration of the treatment may vary depending on the situation.
Identifying a time window is essential, if symptoms develop within a few weeks after recovery, physicians can be sure that they are dealing with a coronavirus infection – pointed out Attila Szijártó. He added that the correlation between an earlier infection and gastroenterological disorders is an issue which should be further researched.
‘We begin to slowly discover and identify diseases that are the most probable to occur after a coronavirus infection – summarized dr. Szijártó. We are continuously collecting relevant data and thereapeutical algoryhtms, as these are important for scientific and clinical reasons”, added dr. Szijártó.
Dóra Horváth
Photo: Attila Kovács – Semmelweis University
Translation: Norbert Lukács
