A Rare Case of COVID-19 Pneumonia Concomitant with Bleeding from Acute Gastric Mucosal Lesions

Intern Med. 2021;60(21):3421-3426. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.7803-21. Epub 2021 Nov 1.

Abstract

A 70-year-old man was diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Twenty-six days after admission, he experienced hematemesis despite improvement in his respiratory symptoms. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed edematous stomach wall thickening with neither ischemic findings in the gastric wall nor obstruction of the gastric artery. Emergent esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed diffuse dark-red mucosa accompanied by multiple easy-bleeding, irregularly shaped ulcers throughout almost the whole stomach without active bleeding or visible vessels. The clinical course, including the endoscopic findings, progressed favorably with conservative treatment. COVID-19 pneumonia can present with acute gastric mucosal lesion, which may be induced by microvascular thrombosis due to COVID-19-related coagulopathy.

Keywords: COVID-19; acute gastric mucosal lesion; coronavirus disease 2019; gastrointestinal bleeding.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • COVID-19*
  • Endoscopy, Digestive System
  • Hematemesis / diagnosis
  • Hematemesis / etiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Stomach