Clinical features and management of severe COVID-19: A retrospective study in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China

Abstract

Abstract Objective We aimed to investigate clinical features and management of 55 COVID-19 patients in Wuxi, especially severe COVID-19. Methods Epidemiological, demographic, clinical, laboratory, imaging, treatment, and outcome data of patients were collected. Follow-up lasted until April 6, 2020. Results All 55 patients included 47 (85.5%) non-severe patients and 8 (14.5%) severe patients. Common comorbidities were hypertension and diabetes. Common symptoms were fever, cough and sputum. Lymphopenia was a common laboratory finding, and ground-glass opacity was a common chest CT feature. All patients received antiviral therapy of α-interferon inhalation and lopinavir-ritonavir tablets. Common complications included acute liver injury and respiratory failure. All patients were discharged. No death was occurred and no medical staff got infected. Patients with severe COVID-19 showed significantly older age, decreased lymphocytes, increased C reactive protein, and higher frequency of bilateral lung infiltration compared to non-severe patients. Significantly more treatments including antibiotic therapy and mechanical ventilation, longer hospitalization stay and higher cost were shown on severe patients. Conclusions Our study suggested that patients with severe COVID-19 may be more likely to have an older age, present with lymphopenia and bilateral lung infiltration, receive multiple treatments and stay longer in hospital.