Gastrointestinal symptoms and complications in patients hospitalized due to COVID-19, an international multicentre prospective cohort study (TIVURON project).

BACKGROUND: Retrospective studies suggest that coronavirus disease (COVID-19) commonly involves gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and complications. Our aim was to prospectively evaluate GI manifestations in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. METHODS: This international multicentre prospective cohort study recruited COVID-19 patients hospitalized at 31 centres in Spain, Mexico, Chile, and Poland, between May and September 2020. Patients were followed-up until 15 days post-discharge and completed comprehensive questionnaires assessing GI symptoms and complications. A descriptive analysis as well as a bivariate and multivariate analysis were performer using binary logistic regression. p<0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Eight hundred twenty-nine patients were enrolled; 129 (15.6%) had severe COVID-19, 113 (13.7%) required ICU admission, and 43 (5.2%) died. Upon admission, the most prevalent GI symptoms were anorexia (n=413; 49.8%), diarrhoea (n=327; 39.4%), nausea/vomiting (n=227; 27.4%), and abdominal pain (n=172; 20.7%), which were mild/moderate throughout the disease and resolved during follow-up. One-third of patients exhibited liver injury. Non-severe COVID-19 was associated with ≥2 GI symptoms upon admission (OR 0.679; 95% CI 0.464-0.995; p=0.046) or diarrhoea during hospitalization (OR 0.531; 95% CI 0.328-0.860; p=0.009). Multivariate analysis revealed that worse hospital outcomes were not independently associated with liver injury or GI symptoms. CONCLUSION: GI symptoms were more common than previously documented, and were mild, rapidly resolved, and not independently associated with COVID-19 severity. Liver injury was a frequent complication in hospitalized patients not independently associated with COVID-19 severity.

[Littré hernia: an unusual cause of intestinal obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Littre's hernia is the presence of a Meckel diverticulum within an orifice in the abdominal wall. There are few cases published in the literature and its frequency is not well described. CLINICAL CASE: We present the case of a 74-year-old patient who arrived at the emergency service with clinical signs of intestinal obstruction caused by an incarcerated right inguinal hernia. Emergency surgery was performed using a preperitoneal approach. Within the hernia, 5 cm of small bowel containing a Meckel diverticulum was found. Therefore, we decided to extirpate the diverticulum and repair the hernia placing a polypropylene mesh. CONCLUSIONS: Meckel diverticulum is the persistence of the omphalomesenteric duct. It is usually asymptomatic, producing bleeding, infection or intestinal obstruction as the main symptoms.

Colecistitis agudas: ¿está justificado hoy en día diferir la cirugía? / Acute cholecystitis: is it still justified to delay surgery?

Introducción: El tratamiento de la colecistitis aguda puede ser inicialmente quirúrgico o conservador con cirugía posterior, revisamos los casos encontrados en nuestro centro, cómo fueron tratados y la evolución de los mismos. Material y métodos: Realizamos un estudio retrospectivo del tratamiento realizado en 178 pacientes con colecistitis aguda durante un año. Se evalúan variables relacionadas con las características de los pacientes, clínica y exploración, técnicas diagnósticas, tratamiento realizado y evolución. Resultados: El 70,2% es tratado de forma conservadora (grupo A) y el 29,8% es intervenido en las primeras 72h (grupo B). En el grupo A se trataron 96 casos con antibioterapia, 15 con antibioterapia y colecistostomía y 12 con antibioterapia y CPRE. En el grupo B se realizó colecistectomía urgente laparoscópica en el 60,4% de los casos y abierta en el 35,8%. En el grupo A el tiempo de ingreso fue de 11 días, con evolución satisfactoria en el 79,2%, tasa de mortalidad del 5,6% y tasa de reingresos del 10,7%. En el grupo B el tiempo quirúrgico fue de 111+/−43, una media de 8,7 días de ingreso, no precisaron tratamiento además de la cirugía el 68% de los casos. La evolución fue satisfactoria en todos los casos menos en 7, no hubo mortalidad en este grupo. Tuvimos una tasa de reingreso del 2%. Conclusiones: Continuamos realizando una proporción importante de tratamiento conservador en detrimento de la cirugía urgente, en números absolutos este parece tener mayor tasa de complicaciones, de mortalidad y de tiempo de ingreso hospitalario (AU)

Introduction: Acute cholecystitis treatment may initially be surgical or conservative with subsequent surgery; we reviewed the cases found in our centre, including their treatment and outcome. Material and methods: We conducted a retrospective study of treatment in 178 patients with acute cholecystitis during one year. We evaluated variables associated with patient characteristics, as well as clinical data, diagnostic tests, treatment and outcome. Results: The majority (70.2%) was treated conservatively (group A), and 29.8% were operated on in the first 72h (group B). In group A, 96 patients were treated with antibiotics, 15 with antibiotic therapy and cholecystectomy, and 12 with antibiotics and ERCP. In group B urgent laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in 60.4%, and 35.8% had open cholecystectomy. In group A, admission time was 11 days, with satisfactory progress in 79.2%, mortality rate of 5.6% and 10.7% of readmissions. In group B, operation time was 111 +/− 43min, a mean of 8.7 days hospital stay, and 68% of cases did not require further treatment after surgery. Outcome was satisfactory in all but 7, there was no mortality in this group. We had a return rate of 2%. Conclusions: A significant proportion of conservative treatment was carried out at the expense of emergency surgery, although in absolute numbers conservative treatment seems to have a higher rate of complications, mortality and hospitalisation time(AU)

[Acute cholecystitis: is it still justified to delay surgery?]. / Colecistitis agudas: ¿está justificado hoy en día diferir la cirugía?

INTRODUCTION: Acute cholecystitis treatment may initially be surgical or conservative with subsequent surgery; we reviewed the cases found in our centre, including their treatment and outcome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of treatment in 178 patients with acute cholecystitis during one year. We evaluated variables associated with patient characteristics, as well as clinical data, diagnostic tests, treatment and outcome. RESULTS: The majority (70.2%) was treated conservatively (group A), and 29.8% were operated on in the first 72 h (group B). In group A, 96 patients were treated with antibiotics, 15 with antibiotic therapy and cholecystectomy, and 12 with antibiotics and ERCP. In group B urgent laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in 60.4%, and 35.8% had open cholecystectomy. In group A, admission time was 11 days, with satisfactory progress in 79.2%, mortality rate of 5.6% and 10.7% of readmissions. In group B, operation time was 111 +/- 43 min, a mean of 8.7 days hospital stay, and 68% of cases did not require further treatment after surgery. Outcome was satisfactory in all but 7, there was no mortality in this group. We had a return rate of 2%. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of conservative treatment was carried out at the expense of emergency surgery, although in absolute numbers conservative treatment seems to have a higher rate of complications, mortality and hospitalisation time.