Xu et al.(35)35. Xu Y, Li X, Zhu B, Liang H, Fang C, Gong Y, et al. Characteristics of pediatric SARS-CoV-2 infection and potential evidence for persistent fecal viral shedding. Nat Med. 2020;26(4):502–5. doi: http://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-0817-4. PubMed PMID: 32284613. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-0817-...
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Diarrhea (30%). |
Tomography, blood count and RT-PCR. |
Positive real-time RT-PCR results were observed in rectal swabs of children, which remain detectable after nasopharyngeal swabs become negative, suggesting that the GI tract may release virus and fecal-oral transmission may be possible. |
Miller et al.(36)36. Miller J, Cantor A, Zachariah P, Ahn D, Martinez M, Margolis KG. Gastrointestinal symptoms as a major presentation component of a novel multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children that is related to Coronavirus disease 2019: a single center experience of 44 cases. Gastroenterology. 2020;159(4):1571–1574 e2. doi: http://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2020.05.079. PubMed PMID: 32505742. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2020.05...
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Nausea (29.5%), vomiting (29.5%), and abdominal pain (29.5%). |
PCR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, albumin, ALT, AST, Ultrasound, resonance. |
SARS-CoV-2 triggers the process of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children and subsequent symptoms arising from this inflammation affect the GI tract. |
Giacomet et al.(37)37. Giacomet V, Barcellini L, Stracuzzi M, Longoni E, Folgori L, Leone A, et al. Gastrointestinal symptoms in severe COVID-19 children. J Pediatr Infect Dis. 2020;39(10):e317–20. doi: http://doi.org/10.1097/INF.0000000000002843. PubMed PMID: 32932333. https://doi.org/10.1097/INF.000000000000...
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Vomiting (22%), diarrhea (9.4%), and abdominal pain (6.3%). |
Radiography. |
The GI tract is a target for SARS-CoV-2 due to the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 being one of the main receptors for the virus. |
Dooki et al.(38)38. Dooki ME, Mehrabani S, Sorki H, Nikpour M, Tabatabaie M, Mohammadi M, et al. COVID-19 and digestive system in children: a retrospective study. Arch Iran Med. 2020;23(11):782–6. doi: http://doi.org/10.34172/aim.2020.104. PubMed PMID: 33220697. https://doi.org/10.34172/aim.2020.104...
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Anorexia (83.3%), nausea (38.9%), vomiting (38.9%), diarrhea (33.3), and abdominal pain (33.3). |
ALT, AST, ALP, prothrombin, thromboplastin, TTP, INR, Albumin, Direct and Total Bilirubin, PCR, Sedimentation Rate, Erythrocytes, Tomography, Radiography, and Ultrasonography. |
The interaction between ACE2 and the SARS-CoV-2 virus may occur due to the receptors being present in the gastrointestinal system, as well as to a cytokine storm and dysregulation of the intestinal flora through immunological mechanisms. |
Souza et al.(39)39. Souza AL, Matos F, Flintz R, Marliere R, Presti M, Falconiere C. Manifestações gastrointestinais como apresentação inicial da COVID-19 em pediatria. Residência Pediátrica. 2020;10(3):1–3. doi: http://doi.org/10.25060/residpediatr-2020.v10n3-366. https://doi.org/10.25060/residpediatr-20...
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Fever (100%), abdominal pain (30%), and jaundice (15%). |
Ultrasound, PCR-RT and blood count. |
The emergence of gastrointestinal symptoms is due to the Coronavirus entering cells that use the ACE2 enzyme receptor. The receptor is found in large quantities in lung cells, but also in epithelial cells of the esophagus, ileum and colon. |
Lo Vecchio et al.(40)40. Lo Vecchio A, Garazzino S, Smarrazzo A, Venturini E, Poeta M, Berlsese P, et al. Factors associated with severe gastrointestinal diagnoses in children with SARS-CoV-2 infection or multisystem inflammatory syndrome. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(12):e2139974. doi: http://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.39974. PubMed PMID: 34928354. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen....
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Diarrhea (87.7%), vomiting (60%), nausea (28.6%), anorexia (28.6%), pain and abdominal distension (20.3%). |
Ferritin, ALT, Abdominal ultrasound, intra-abdominal fluid/tissue samples. |
SARS-CoV-2 has direct action on cells, due to the abundant expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 binding receptors on the surface of enterocytes, facilitating the entry of RNA into the cell. The GI tract is a potential target of immune-mediated inflammatory response by SARS-CoV-2. |
Berni Canani et al.(41)41. Berni Canani R, Comegna M, Paparo L, Cernera G, Bruno G, Strisciuglio C, et al. Age-related differences in the expression of most relevant mediators of SARS-CoV-2 infection in human respiratory and gastrointestinal tract. Front Pediatr. 2021;9:697390. doi: http://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2021.697390. PubMed PMID: 34395341. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2021.697390...
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Abdominal pain (90%), vomiting (90%), constipation (90%) and diarrhea (50%). |
Cytology of epithelial samples, intestinal epithelial biopsy, PCR, IgG, IgM, AST, ALT, CBC. |
In the small intestine, ACE2 expression is higher in children. The ACE2 receptor acts as a gateway for the virus and TMPRSS2 is used by SARS-CoV-2 to initiate the protein spike, and NRP1, a SARS-CoV-2 coreceptor, increases the virus’s ability to enter and enhances infection in host cells. |
Farello et al.(42)42. Farello G, Di Lucia A, Fioravanti A, Tambucci B, Stagi R, Gaudino S. Analysis of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on functional gastrointestinal disorders among paediatric population. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2021;25(18):5836–42. doi: http://doi.org/10.26355/eurrev_202109_26802. PubMed PMID: 34604975. https://doi.org/10.26355/eurrev_202109_2...
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Abdominal pain (13.6%), rumination (2.7%), constipation (13.6%). |
Rome III Criteria (For non-organic diseases). |
The COVID-19 pandemic generated anxiety in healthy people and exacerbated pre-existing mental illnesses. Social restrictions represented a threat to the mental health of children and adolescents, being a source of stress that, combined with changes in routine, generates a trigger for the appearance of episodes of abdominal pathology and the recurrence of symptoms related to irritable bowel syndrome. |
Stepan et al.(43)43. Stepan MD, Cioboata R, Vintilescu SB, Vasile CM, Osman A, Ciolofan MS, et al. Pediatric functional abdominal pain disorders following COVID-19. Life. 2022;12(4):509. doi: http://doi.org/10.3390/life12040509. PubMed PMID: 35455000. https://doi.org/10.3390/life12040509...
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Abdominal pain (60.9%). |
Rome IV Criteria (For non-organic diseases). |
Functional gastrointestinal disorders are mediated by stress; psychosocial health in the pandemic has had long-term repercussions. SARS-CoV-2 infection is justified by the gut-brain axis where they are connected, providing viral infection. |
Vasichkina et al.(44)44. Vasichkina E, Kofeynikova O, Fetisova S, Starshinova AY, Sheyanova E, Vershinina T, et al. Severe course of COVID-19 and long-COVID-19 in children: difficulties in diagnosis. Life. 2023;13(3):781. doi: http://doi.org/10.3390/life13030781. PubMed PMID: 36983936. https://doi.org/10.3390/life13030781...
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Suppressed appetite (100%), abdominal pain (100%), semi-liquid stools (100%). |
PCR, procalcitonin, ferritin, D-dimer, x-ray, echocardiogram. |
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children can be caused after COVID-19 and after SARS-2-CoV-2 infection and long-COVID-19, with the persistence of the virus. The presence of comorbidities is a risk factor for the development of the syndrome. |