Table 5. Meta-analyses reporting generalized symptoms in patients with COVID-19

First author (date of publication) Study period Number of studies/participants Prevalence of symptoms (95% CI)
Yusuf (Apr 19, 2021) Dec 2019 to Jan 2021 22 studies Prolonged nausea 3.23% (0.54% to 16.53%)Persistent vomiting 3.19% (1.62% to 6.17%)Prolonged diarrhea 4.12% (1.07% to 14.64%)Prolonged abdominal pain 1.68% (0.84% to 3.32%)Persistent loss of appetite 4.41% (1.91% to 9.94%)
Shehab (Mar 4, 2021) Dec 2019 to Dec 2020 158/78,798 Diarrhea 16.5% (14.2% to 18.4%)Nausea 9.7% (9.0% to 13.2%)
Elshazli (Feb 23, 2021) Dec 2019 to Jul 2020 125/25,252 Anorexia 19.9% (15.85% to 23.95%)Diarrhea 13.2% (11.50% to 14.90%)Nausea 10.3% (8.00% to 12.60%)Hematemesis 9.1% (24.90% to 43.10%)Vomiting 6.30% (5.05% to 7.55%)Abdominal pain 5.60% (3.95% to 7.25%)
Dorrell (Nov 21, 2020) Dec 2019 to May 2020 108/17,776 Anorexia 21% (15% to 27%)Diarrhea 13% (11% to 16%)Nausea or vomiting 8% (6% to 11%)Abdominal pain 4% (2% to 6%)
Tariq (Jun 10, 2020) Dec 2019 to May 2020 78/12,797 Diarrhea 12.4% (8.2% to 17.1%)Nausea/vomiting 9.0% (5.5% to 12.9%)Loss of appetite 22.3% (11.2% to 34.6%)Abdominal pain 6.2% (2.6% to 10.3%)
Li (Aug 13, 2020) Jan 2020 to Apr 2020 212/281,461 Diarrhea 9.5% (7.8% to 11.5%)Abdominal pain 4.5% (3.3% to 6.2%)Vomiting 4.7% (3.8% to 5.8%)
Rokkas (Jun 6, 2020) Dec 2019 to Apr 2020 37/5,601 Diarrhea 9.8% (6.4% to 14.7%)Nausea/vomiting 10.4% (4.8% to 12.1%)Abdominal discomfort/pain 6.9% (4.8% to 12.1%)
Mao (May 12, 2020) Jan 2020 to Apr 2020 35/6,686 Diarrhea 9% (6% to 12%)Nausea/vomiting 6% (5% to 9%)Loss of appetite 21% (9% to 44%)Abdominal pain 3% (2% to 5%)
Parasa (Jun 11, 2020) Dec 2019 to Mar 2020 29/4,805 Diarrhea 7.4% (4.3% to 12.2%)Nausea/vomiting 4.6% (15.3% to 25.6%)
Suresh Kumar (May 25, 2020) Dec 2019 to Mar 2020 17/2,477 Abdominal pain 2.7%Diarrhea 7.8%Nausea/vomiting 5.6%
Wang (May 12, 2020) Dec 2019 to Mar 2020 21/3,024 Diarrhea 9.1% (6.3% to 11.9%)Nausea/vomiting 5.2% (3.5% to 7.0%)Abdominal pain 3.5% (1.7% to 5.4%)
Cheung (Apr 03, 2020) Dec 2019 to Mar 2020 60/4,243 Loss of appetite 26.8% (16.2% to 40.8%)Nausea/vomiting 10.2% (6.6% to 15.3%)Diarrhea 12.5% (9.6% to 16.0%)Abdominal pain/discomfort 9.2% (5.7% to 14.5%)
CI, confidence interval; COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019.