The key COVID-19 findings in gastroenterology, distilled into a clear, readable brief. The evidence is here whenever you want to go deeper.
INSIDE THIS MONITOR
37cited sources
6available findings
Study findings updated
AI-assisted evidence summary. For general information. These findings are not individual medical advice or a clinician endorsement.
THE SHORT VERSION
What’s worth knowing.
The key findings, what they mean, and the context that matters.
THE HEADLINE TAKEAWAY68% vs. 35.7%
Fatigue response was more frequent with VSL#3® than placebo
After 4 weeks, 68% receiving VSL#3® were fatigue responders versus 35.7% receiving placebo; Chalder Fatigue Scale scores also fell more with VSL#3® than placebo.
This randomized placebo-controlled trial involved patients with long COVID and clinically relevant fatigue. The responder definition and safety findings are not available here; the reported outcomes cover 4 weeks.
See the evidence
Fatigue responder proportion with 4 weeks of VSL#3® versus placebo among patients with long COVID and clinically relevant fatigue (p = 0.019)
68% vs. 35.7%
Amoroso, Chiara et al.. VSL#3® supplementation improves fatigue in long COVID: results from the DELong#3 randomized placebo-controlled trial.. British journal of biomedical science. 2026.
Reduction in Chalder Fatigue Scale score with 4 weeks of VSL#3® versus placebo among patients with long COVID and clinically relevant fatigue (p = 0.037)
24.24% vs. 6.06% reduction
Amoroso, Chiara et al.. VSL#3® supplementation improves fatigue in long COVID: results from the DELong#3 randomized placebo-controlled trial.. British journal of biomedical science. 2026.
At 6 months, 22% of COVID-19 survivors reported persistent gastrointestinal symptoms
22%
At 6 months after infection, 22% of COVID-19 survivors reported persistent gastrointestinal symptoms.
This is a descriptive estimate among COVID-19 survivors, not a treatment comparison. The setting and symptom definition are not available, and the summary gives no trajectory beyond 6 months.
See the evidence
Of COVID-19 survivors report persistent GI symptoms
22%
Blackett JW, Wainberg M, Elkind MSV, et al. Potential Long Coronavirus Disease 2019 Gastrointestinal Symptoms 6 Months After Coronavirus Infection Are Associated With Mental Health Symptoms. Gastroenterology. 2022;162(2):648-650.e2.
Corticosteroid use was linked to severe COVID-19 in IBD
In an international IBD registry, corticosteroid use was associated with higher odds of severe COVID-19.
These registry findings are associations; the reference medication group is not identified in this summary.
See the evidence
Corticosteroids & Severe COVID (IBD)
+190% OR 2.9 (95% CI: 1.8-4.7)
Ungaro RC, Brenner EJ, Gearry RB, et al. Effect of IBD medications on COVID-19 outcomes: results from an international registry. Gut. 2021;70(4):725-732.
A prospective cohort found that gut dysbiosis was associated with long COVID.
This cohort involved patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome. The reference group and dysbiosis definition are not available in this summary, and the association does not establish cause.
See the evidence
Gut Dysbiosis & Long COVID
+210% OR 3.1 (95% CI: 1.8-5.3)
Liu Q, Mak JWY, Su Q, et al. Gut microbiota dynamics in a prospective cohort of patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome. Gut. 2022;71(3):544-552.
Fatigue response was more frequent with VSL#3® than placebo
68% vs. 35.7%
After 4 weeks, 68% receiving VSL#3® were fatigue responders versus 35.7% receiving placebo; Chalder Fatigue Scale scores also fell more with VSL#3® than placebo.
This randomized placebo-controlled trial involved patients with long COVID and clinically relevant fatigue. The responder definition and safety findings are not available here; the reported outcomes cover 4 weeks.
Study details & original results
Amoroso, Chiara et al.. VSL#3® supplementation improves fatigue in long COVID: results from the DELong#3 randomized placebo-controlled trial.. British journal of biomedical science. 2026.
Fatigue responder proportion with 4 weeks of VSL#3® versus placebo among patients with long COVID and clinically relevant fatigue (p = 0.019)
68% vs. 35.7%
Reduction in Chalder Fatigue Scale score with 4 weeks of VSL#3® versus placebo among patients with long COVID and clinically relevant fatigue (p = 0.037)
Dates show when findings were added here, not when papers were published. Study populations and comparisons differ.
WHEN YOU WANT TO GO DEEPERSee all 6 findingsOriginal results, comparisons and study details.
4 of 4 source groupsFindings stay together with their study.
SOURCE 372 findings
Amoroso, Chiara et al.. VSL#3® supplementation improves fatigue in long COVID: results from the DELong#3 randomized placebo-controlled trial.. British journal of biomedical science. 2026.
Reduction in Chalder Fatigue Scale score with 4 weeks of VSL#3® versus placebo among patients with long COVID and clinically relevant fatigue (p = 0.037)
Ungaro RC, Brenner EJ, Gearry RB, et al. Effect of IBD medications on COVID-19 outcomes: results from an international registry. Gut. 2021;70(4):725-732.
Prasad R, Patton MJ, Floyd JL, et al. Plasma Microbiome in COVID-19 Subjects: An Indicator of Gut Barrier Defects and Dysbiosis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022;23(16):9141.
Browse the 37 original sourcesThe complete bibliography behind this monitor.
[1]
Mao R, Qiu Y, He JS, et al. Manifestations and prognosis of gastrointestinal and liver involvement in patients with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. 2020;5(7):667-678.
Cheung KS, Hung IFN, Chan PPY, et al. Gastrointestinal Manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Virus Load in Fecal Samples From a Hong Kong Cohort: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Gastroenterology. 2020;159(1):81-95.
Parasa S, Desai M, Thoguluva Chandrasekar V, et al. Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Fecal Viral Shedding in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Network Open. 2020;3(6):e2011335.
Sultan S, Altayar O, Siddique SM, et al. AGA Institute Rapid Review of the Gastrointestinal and Liver Manifestations of COVID-19, Meta-Analysis of International Data, and Recommendations for the Consultative Management of Patients with COVID-19. Gastroenterology. 2020;159(1):320-334.e27.
Yeoh YK, Zuo T, Lui GC, et al. Gut microbiota composition reflects disease severity and dysfunctional immune responses in patients with COVID-19. Gut. 2021;70(4):698-706.
Zuo T, Zhang F, Lui GCY, et al. Alterations in Gut Microbiota of Patients With COVID-19 During Time of Hospitalization. Gastroenterology. 2020;159(3):944-955.e8.
Gu S, Chen Y, Wu Z, et al. Alterations of the Gut Microbiota in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 or H1N1 Influenza. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2020;71(10):2669-2678.
Zuo T, Zhan H, Zhang F, et al. Alterations in Fecal Fungal Microbiome of Patients With COVID-19 During Time of Hospitalization until Discharge. Gastroenterology. 2020;159(4):1302-1310.e5.
Zollner A, Koch R, Jukic A, et al. Postacute COVID-19 is Characterized by Gut Viral Antigen Persistence in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Gastroenterology. 2022;163(2):495-506.e8.
Ungaro RC, Brenner EJ, Gearry RB, et al. Effect of IBD medications on COVID-19 outcomes: results from an international registry. Gut. 2021;70(4):725-732.
Brenner EJ, Ungaro RC, Gearry RB, et al. Corticosteroids, But Not TNF Antagonists, Are Associated With Adverse COVID-19 Outcomes in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Results From an International Registry. Gastroenterology. 2020;159(2):481-491.e3.
Rubin DT, Feuerstein JD, Baidoo L, et al. AGA Clinical Practice Update on Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Expert Commentary. Gastroenterology. 2020;159(1):350-357.
Kennedy NA, Lin S, Goodhand JR, et al. Infliximab is associated with attenuated immunogenicity to BNT162b2 and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in patients with IBD. Gut. 2021;70(10):1884-1893.
Prasad R, Patton MJ, Floyd JL, et al. Plasma Microbiome in COVID-19 Subjects: An Indicator of Gut Barrier Defects and Dysbiosis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022;23(16):9141.
Blackett JW, Wainberg M, Elkind MSV, et al. Potential Long Coronavirus Disease 2019 Gastrointestinal Symptoms 6 Months After Coronavirus Infection Are Associated With Mental Health Symptoms. Gastroenterology. 2022;162(2):648-650.e2.
Ghoshal UC, Ghoshal U, Rahman MM, et al. Post-infection functional gastrointestinal disorders following coronavirus disease-19: A case-control study. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2022;37(3):489-498.
Nobel YR, Phipps M, Zucker J, et al. Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Case-Control Study From the United States. Gastroenterology. 2020;159(1):373-375.e2.
Redd WD, Zhou JC, Hathorn KE, et al. Prevalence and Characteristics of Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Patients With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection in the United States: A Multicenter Cohort Study. Gastroenterology. 2020;159(2):765-767.e2.
Phipps MM, Baez LM, Martinez JL, et al. Acute Liver Injury in COVID-19: Prevalence and Association with Clinical Outcomes in a Large U.S. Cohort. Hepatology. 2020;72(3):807-817.
Xu R, Lu R, Zhang T, et al. Temporal association between human upper respiratory and gut microbiomes and COVID-19 severity. Nature Communications. 2022;13:1-12.
Amoroso, Chiara et al.. VSL#3® supplementation improves fatigue in long COVID: results from the DELong#3 randomized placebo-controlled trial.. British journal of biomedical science. 2026.
This is an AI-assisted evidence summary, not a clinician endorsement. Read each original paper for its complete methods, population and limitations. Different studies can ask different questions and report different kinds of results.
Dates marked “added” describe when a finding entered this monitor, not when the study was published or clinically reviewed. Personal health and treatment decisions belong in a conversation with a qualified clinician.