Implications of COVID-19 for patients with pre-existing digestive diseases: an update (The Lancet)

The risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and development of severe COVID-19 in patients with pre-existing digestive diseases has raised great concern since infection of the gastrointestinal tract was first reported in March, 2020. In addition, patients with pre-existing digestive diseases are thought to be at increased risk of infection due to immune dysfunction. In response, we published a Comment in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology on the implications of COVID-19 for such patients during the early stages of the pandemic. Our knowledge about COVID-19 has continued to expand, and we provide an updated overview of the implications of COVID-19 for patients with pre-existing digestive diseases.