Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part E (2025)

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) primarily affects the respiratory tract; however, gastrointestinal involvement has been increasingly reported. Identifying digestive lesions in COVID-19 patients undergoing endoscopic procedures provides insight into the disease's systemic impact and potential complications.
Objective: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of digestive lesions in COVID-19 patients treated in the Endoscopy Unit of HGZ No. 20.
Methods: A descriptive, observational, cross-sectional, unicentric, retrospective study was conducted in the Endoscopy Unit of HGZ No. 20 “La Margarita”, Puebla, Mexico. Medical records of patients aged ≥18 years with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 who underwent upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, or panendoscopy during hospitalization (March 1, 2020–October 30, 2021) were analyzed. Data collected included demographics, comorbidities, medication use (NSAIDs, antibiotics, anticoagulants, steroids), and endoscopic findings. Descriptive statistics were performed.
Results: Sixty patients were included (51.7% male, mean age 60.9 ± 14.4 years). Hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus were the most frequent comorbidities (66.7% and 58.6%, respectively). A total of 110 digestive lesions were identified. The most common findings were gastritis (21.8%), erythematous gastropathy (18.2%), and esophagitis (13.6%). Upper gastrointestinal bleeding occurred exclusively in female patients (100%), with gastric ulcer being the predominant lesion, whereas lower gastrointestinal bleeding was found only in males (100%) with hemorrhoidal disease. Patients aged 60–69 years presented the highest number of lesions (n = 30). All patients received antibiotics and anticoagulants; NSAIDs and steroids were more frequently administered to males.
Conclusion: Digestive lesions were prevalent in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, especially in individuals over 50 years old. Gastritis, erythematous gastropathy, and esophagitis were the most frequent findings. The study highlights the importance of gastrointestinal evaluation in COVID-19 patients and the potential role of comorbidities and treatment regimens in the development of lesions.