Diarrhea in COVID-19 patients can be due to SARS-CoV-2 direct damage of the colon mucosa or antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD), in particular Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI).
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence of diarrhea and its epidemiological and clinical features in patients with COVID-19.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The study included 200 patients with confirmed COVID-19 hospitalized at the Central Clinical Hospital from March 2020 to July 2021.
RESULTS
Diarrhea developed in 61 (30.5%) patients. AAD was detected in 36 (59%), CDI in 15 (24.6%), diarrhea associated with SARS-CoV-2 in 6 (9.8%) patients. 77% of patients had mild diarrhea. The detection of C. difficile toxins is associated with a severe course of the disease (OR=4.38 [95% CI: 1.41—13.13]; p=0.0085) and longer length of stay — 21 [16.5—27, 8] (p<0.0001). Detection C. difficile toxins increased by 5.6% in 2020 compared to 2019 [95% CI: 2.7—8.5, (p=0.0003)]. 46.7% were diagnosed with recurrent CDI within a year after discharge from the hospital. The most reliable indicators of diarrhea severity are CRP, calprotectin, and albumin. The bowel wall thickness on ultrasound in patients with mild diarrhea was <0.4 cm; in patients with severe and moderate diarrhea 0.6—1 cm.
CONCLUSIONS
Diarrhea caused by SARS-CoV-2 is mild and is associated with a more favorable outcome, while CDI is associated with more severe disease. There is an increase in the incidence of CDI in the post-COVID period. According to our data, calprotectin and bowel wall thickness on US can be used as diarrhea severity indicators.