Mesenteric ischemia in COVID-19 patients: A review of current literature

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus has affected all the systems of the body, defying all impressions of it being a respiratory virus only. AIM: To see the association of mesenteric ischemia with COVID-19. METHODS: After initial screening and filtering of the titles on PubMed and Google Scholar, 124 articles were selected. Articles were read in full, and the references were skimmed for relevance. Twenty-six articles (case reports and case series) were found to eligible for inclusion. References of these 26 articles were checked for any additional cases. Two more publications were found, and a total of 28 articles (22 case reports and 6 case series) have been included for review in this manuscript. RESULTS: A total of 41 cases of acute mesenteric ischemia in COVID-19 patients have been reported in the literature since the outbreak of this pandemic. Most of them include patients with comorbidities. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, based on this literature review and precise published knowledge regarding acute mesenteric ischemia in patients with COVID-19, it is essential to understand its relevance in all patients with gastrointestinal symptoms. The threshold for the diagnostic investigations should also be kept low for the timely diagnosis and management of this disorder.