Gastrointestinal Manifestations of Long-Term Effects after COVID-19 Infection in Patients on Peritoneal Dialysis: A Single-Center Observational Study

Background: Long-term symptoms of peritoneal dialysis patients after COVID-19 infection, especially gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, may be a potential risk factor for long-term prognosis of peritoneal dialysis patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on peritoneal dialysis patients who were regularly followed up at the peritoneal dialysis center from January 2020 to July 2023. Clinical and laboratory examination data were collected for analysis. The occurrence and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms after COVID-19 infection were evaluated by questionnaires using the gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS). A total of 20 patients underwent gastroscopy. Results: 1. A total of 67 patients were included. 59 patients (88.1%) were found to be positive for the COVID-19 virus. Gastrointestinal symptoms were observed in 81.4% of cases (Fig 2). Gastrointestinal symptoms were noted to appear later but had a longer duration (Fig 1). 2. It was summarized that 10 patients in each of group (before and after the epidemic, time node 2022/12/01) completed gastroscopy. None of them had serious complications such as bleeding and peritonitis. Pations in the post-epidemic group had more gastrointestinal symptoms and more positive findings under gastroscopy (Chart 1 and 2). There were more complex and higher-grade lesions under gastroscopy in this group (Tab 1) (Fig 3). 3. It was found that Pations in the post-epidemic group had a higher history of taking hormones or NSAIDs drugs, lower plasma albumin and serum sodium levels, and higher CRP (Tab 2). Conclusion: The gastrointestinal symptoms are more common in patients with peritoneal dialysis after COVID-19 infection, including reflux esophagitis and peptic ulcer. The symptoms of long COVID after the epidemic are related to the nutritional and inflammatory status of patients. Gastroscopy is of great significance in diagnosing gastrointestinal diseases in PD patients. Funding: Government Support – Non-U.S.