Patient characteristics and biochemical parameters
| Group A: COVID-19 patients without diarrhoea (n=18) | Group B: COVID-19 patients with ceased diarrhoea (>48 hours)* (n=13) | Group C: COVID-19 patients with acute diarrhoea (<48 hours) (n=9) | |
| Onset of symptoms before admission to hospital (days) | 4 (±1.7) | 8.6 (±4.8) | 4.3 (±2.8) |
| Faecal sample after hospital admission (days) | 1.7 (±1.4) | 4.8 (±3.1) | 1.3 (±1.2) |
| Underlying condition† | 50% (n=9) | 54% (n=7) | 78% (n=7) |
| Age | 58.4 (±17.1) | 66.3 (±13.1) | 78.3 (±13.8) |
| Sex (male) | 50% (n=9) | 69% (n=9) | 67% (n=6) |
| Nausea | 11% (n=2) | 8% (n=1) | 89% (n=8) |
| Vomiting | 6% (n=1) | 15% (n=2) | 22% (n=2) |
| Diarrhoea | 0% (n=0) | 100% (n=13) | 100% (n=9) |
| Fever (≥37.3°C) | 89% (n=16) | 84% (n=11) | 78% (n=7) |
| COVID-19-associated respiratory syndrome‡ and cough | 100% (n=18) | 100% (n=13) | 100% (n=9) |
| X-ray (showing infiltrate) | 28% (n=5) | 31% (n=4) | 55% (n=5) |
| Muscle ache and fatigue | 88% (n=16) | 54% (n=7) | 89% (n=8) |
| Antibiotic therapy | 28% (n=5) | 15% (n=2) | 33% (n=3) |
| Antiviral therapy | 6% (n=1) | 0% (n=0) | 0% (n=0) |
| ACE1 inhibitor therapy | 11% (n=2) | 8% (n=1) | 0% (n=0) |
| ACE2 inhibitor therapy | 6% (n=1) | 15% (n=2) | 20% (n=2) |
| Faecal SARS-COV-2-RNA | 22% (n=4) | 61.5% (n=8) | 0% (n=0) |
| Calprotectin (µg/g) | 17.3 (±4.8) | 37.2 (±14.4) | 123.2 (±58.8) |
| Interleukin 6 (ng/L) | 25.7 (±21.2) | 45.0 (±29.3) | 84.3 (±49.1) |
| LDH (U/L) | 266.1 (±129.3) | 270.0 (±71.4) | 262.8 (±61.7) |
| CRP (mg/dL) | 6.0 (±5.0) | 5.4 (±3.7) | 5.9 (±5.0) |
| Leucocytes (109/L) | 5.5 (±1.8) | 5.5 (±1.3) | 5.1 (±1.8) |
| Haemoglobin (g/L) | 123.3 (±18.4) | 121.5 (±18.6) | 121.5 (±20.7) |
| Platelet count (109/L) | 254.5 (±96.3) | 257.85 (±81.9) | 282.0 (±96.9) |
| Quick % | 97.3 (±9.2) | 98.2 (±8.1) | 97.2 (±9.5) |
| Ferritin (µg/L) | 736.9 (±568.2) | 646.3 (±517.9) | 895.4 (±604.6) |
*Patients who reported diarrhoea during COVID-19 but without diarrhoea 48 hours before FC testing.
†Including smoking, allergies, arterial hypertension, type 2 diabetes, malignant diseases, chronic heart disease, chronic liver disease, chronic obstructive respiratory disease and immunosuppressive therapy.
‡Including cough, sputum, haemoptysis, sore throat, nasal obstruction and shortness of breath.
COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; CRP, C reactive protein; FC, faecal calprotectin; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.