Andy
Senior Member (Voting rights)
ABSTRACT
Background & Aims
COVID-19 infection may increase the risk of developing Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction (DGBI). However, the extent of this effect on a population level is poorly understood. We performed a two-country survey to address this issue.Methods
A population-based Internet survey with pre-defined demographic quotas was conducted across the UK and USA in 2017 (pre-pandemic, n=4050) and repeated in 2023 (post-pandemic, n=4002). The surveys included the Rome IV diagnostic questionnaire, and questions about non-gastrointestinal somatic symptoms, anxiety and depression, quality of life, and healthcare utilization. The 2023 survey also included questions regarding COVID-19 infection and illness history.Results
The overall DGBI prevalence, i.e., meeting diagnostic criteria for at least one DGBI, has significantly increased from the pre- to post- pandemic era (38.3% vs. 42.6%, OR 1.20, 95% C.I 1.09-1.31), with similar findings independently noted in the UK and USA. The rise in DGBI was observed within the esophageal (8.8% vs. 10.1%, OR 1.16), gastroduodenal (11.9% vs. 16.4%, OR 1.45), and bowel domains (30.1% vs. 32.5%, OR 1.12). The two most widely investigated DGBI showed large post-pandemic prevalence increases, with functional dyspepsia rising from 8.3% to 11.9% (OR 1.48) and irritable bowel syndrome from 4.7% to 6.0% (OR 1.31).In multivariable analysis, factors significantly associated with having DGBI in the post-pandemic era included younger age, female sex, anxiety, depression, medium-to-high somatic symptom severity, increasing number of COVID-19 infections, experiencing abdominal pain or diarrhea during COVID-19 infection, and suffering with long-COVID.
Individuals with DGBI in the post-pandemic era, in particular those with long-COVID, reported reduced quality of life and higher mood disturbances, somatic symptom reporting and healthcare use than individuals with DGBI in the pre-pandemic era.
Conclusion
The population prevalence and burden of DGBI have increased following the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare services and research funding bodies need to adapt to this post-COVID rise in DGBI and address how to best manage this patient group.Paywall