BACKGROUND One third of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients have gastrointestinal symptoms. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA has been detected in stool samples of approximately 50% of COVID-19 individuals. Fecal calprotectin is a marker of gastrointestinal inflammation in the general population. AIM To investigate if fecal calprotectin correlates with SARS-CoV-2 intestinal shedding in COVID-19 patients with pneumonia. METHODS Patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia admitted to the Infectious Disease Unit (University Hospital of Trieste, Italy) from September to November 2020 wereconsecutively enrolled in the study. Fecal samples were collected and analyzed for quantification of fecal calprotectin (normal value < 50 mg/kg) and SARS-CoV-2 RNA presence by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Inter-group differences were determined between patients with and without diarrhea and patients with and without detection of fecal SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS We enrolled 51 adults (40 males) with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Ten patients (20%) presented with diarrhea. Real-time-PCR of SARS-CoV-2 in stools was positive in 39 patients (76%), in all patients with diarrhea (100%) and in more than two thirds (29/41, 71%) of patients without diarrhea. Obesity was one of the most common comorbidities (13 patients, 25%); all obese patients (100%) (P = 0.021) tested positive for fecal SARS-CoV-2. Median fecal calprotectin levels were 60 mg/kg [interquartile range (IQR) 21; 108]; higher fecal calprotectin levels were found in the group with SARS-CoV-2 in stools (74 mg/kg, IQR 29; 132.5) compared to the group without SARS-CoV-2 (39 mg/kg, IQR 14; 71) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION High fecal calprotectin levels among COVID-19 patients correlate with SARS-CoV-2 detection in stools supporting the hypothesis that this virus can lead to bowel inflammation and potentially to the ‘leaky gut’ syndrome

High fecal calprotectin levels are associated with SARS-CoV-2 intestinal shedding in COVID-19 patients: A proof-of-concept study

Di Bella, Stefano
;
Giuffrè, Mauro;Macor, Paolo;Segat, Ludovica;Koncan, Raffaella;D'Agaro, Pierlanfranco;Crocé, Lory Saveria;Luzzati, Roberto
2021-01-01

Abstract

BACKGROUND One third of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients have gastrointestinal symptoms. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA has been detected in stool samples of approximately 50% of COVID-19 individuals. Fecal calprotectin is a marker of gastrointestinal inflammation in the general population. AIM To investigate if fecal calprotectin correlates with SARS-CoV-2 intestinal shedding in COVID-19 patients with pneumonia. METHODS Patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia admitted to the Infectious Disease Unit (University Hospital of Trieste, Italy) from September to November 2020 wereconsecutively enrolled in the study. Fecal samples were collected and analyzed for quantification of fecal calprotectin (normal value < 50 mg/kg) and SARS-CoV-2 RNA presence by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Inter-group differences were determined between patients with and without diarrhea and patients with and without detection of fecal SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS We enrolled 51 adults (40 males) with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Ten patients (20%) presented with diarrhea. Real-time-PCR of SARS-CoV-2 in stools was positive in 39 patients (76%), in all patients with diarrhea (100%) and in more than two thirds (29/41, 71%) of patients without diarrhea. Obesity was one of the most common comorbidities (13 patients, 25%); all obese patients (100%) (P = 0.021) tested positive for fecal SARS-CoV-2. Median fecal calprotectin levels were 60 mg/kg [interquartile range (IQR) 21; 108]; higher fecal calprotectin levels were found in the group with SARS-CoV-2 in stools (74 mg/kg, IQR 29; 132.5) compared to the group without SARS-CoV-2 (39 mg/kg, IQR 14; 71) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION High fecal calprotectin levels among COVID-19 patients correlate with SARS-CoV-2 detection in stools supporting the hypothesis that this virus can lead to bowel inflammation and potentially to the ‘leaky gut’ syndrome
2021
Pubblicato
https://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/full/v27/i22/3130.htm
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
ZERBATO WJG 2021 High fecal calprotectin levels are associated with SARS_CoV_2 intestinal shedding in COVID19 patients.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Documento in Versione Editoriale
Licenza: Creative commons
Dimensione 589.72 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
589.72 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11368/2990911
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 12
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 8
social impact