ArticleFrontiers in medicine2026
Intestinal permeability correlated with chronic fatigue in a patient with long COVID-A case report and overview of the literature.
Article in Frontiers in medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Plasma Cytokine and Caspase-1p20 Profiles in Pre-Pandemic and Long COVID-Associated Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.Biomedicines · 2026Article
- Lessons from irritable bowel syndrome: potential for understanding and managing post-COVID.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
Background: Long COVID is a complex condition characterized by persistent symptoms such as chronic fatigue, cognitive impairment, and autonomic dysfunction. Emerging evidence suggests that the gut may play a role in the pathophysiology of long COVID, potentially contributing to systemic inflammation and symptom severity. Prior studies indicate intestinal permeability (IP) alteration in patients with long COVID. To date, there have been no reports on the assessment of intestinal permeability via carbohydrate absorption in individuals with long COVID. Case presentation: We present a 60-year-old female with long COVID who exhibited chronic fatigue and autonomic dysfunction for more than 3 years following SARS-CoV-2 infection. IP was assessed at five time points using a carbohydrate absorption test. Results revealed significantly elevated lactulose/mannitol (L/M) ratios during episodes of symptom exacerbation, including a second SARS-CoV-2 infection. Notably, clinically observed improvement in fatigue correlated with a reduction in IP. A probiotic regimen with Conclusions: This case report demonstrates a correlation between intestinal permeability alterations and long COVID symptom severity. Notably, to our knowledge, this is the first report assessing intestinal permeability in a long COVID patient using a carbohydrate absorption-based permeability test. It reinforces the emerging link between gut barrier integrity and long COVID pathophysiology and emphasizes the need for further studies to assess IP as a potential disease marker. Furthermore, the observed improvement with probiotic therapy highlights the need for further research into microbiome-targeted interventions for long COVID management. Larger studies are required to explore the mechanistic link between gut permeability and long COVID pathophysiology.
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