Medicina (Kaunas). 2023 Nov 6;59(11):1961. doi: 10.3390/medicina59111961.

Daniel Paramythiotis ¹, Eleni Karlafti ^2 3, Matthaios Didagelos ⁴, Maria Fafouti ¹, Kalliopi Veroplidou ¹, Adonis A Protopapas ³, Georgia Kaiafa ³, Smaro Netta ¹, Antonios Michalopoulos ¹, Christos Savopoulos ³

Author information

¹First Propaedeutic Department of Surgery, AHEPA University General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece.

²Emergency Department, AHEPA University General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece.

³First Propaedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA University General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece.

⁴Intensive Care Unit, AHEPA University General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece.

Abstract

The emergence of post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS), a complex and multifactorial condition that follows the acute COVID-19 infection, has raised serious concerns within the global medical community. Concurrently, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a widespread chronic gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction, is considered to be one of the most common disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) that significantly affects the quality of life and social functioning of patients. PCS presents a wide range of symptoms and GI manifestations, including IBS. This review aims to analyze the GI involvement and the prolonged symptoms of COVID-19 infection as part of PCS, in order to explore the potential development of post-infection IBS (PI-IBS) in COVID-19 patients. Irritating factors such as enteric infection, psychosocial conditions, food antigens, and antibiotics may lead to abnormalities in the physiological function of the GI system and could be involved in the development of PI-IBS. Through the presentation of the pathophysiological mechanisms and epidemiological studies that assessed the prevalence of IBS as part of PCS, we attempted to provide a better understanding of the long-term consequences of COVID-19 and the pathogenesis of PI-IBS. Even though PI-IBS is becoming a global challenge, there are only a few studies about it and therefore limited knowledge. Currently, the majority of the existing treatment options are referred to non-COVID-19-associated DGBIs. Forthcoming studies may shed light on the mechanisms of PI-IBS that could be targeted for treatment development.