Clinical findings of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 in Jiangsu province, China: A retrospective, multi-center study.

• Published in: PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
• Main Authors: Rui Huang, Li Zhu, Leyang Xue, Longgen Liu, Xuebing Yan, Jian Wang, Biao Zhang, Tianmin Xu, Fang Ji, Yun Zhao, Juan Cheng, Yinling Wang, Huaping Shao, Shuqin Hong, Qi Cao, Chunyang Li, Xiang-An Zhao, Lei Zou, Dawen Sang, Haiyan Zhao, Xinying Guan, Xiaobing Chen, Chun Shan, Juan Xia, Yuxin Chen, Xiaomin Yan, Jie Wei, Chuanwu Zhu, Chao Wu
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2020
• Subjects: Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008280; https://doaj.org/article/29178362c5a74fceb22fb2aaab3add60

Limited data are available for clinical characteristics of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outside Wuhan. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 and identify the risk factors for severe illness of COVID-19 in Jiangsu province, China. Clinical data of hospitalized COVID-19 patients were retrospectively collected in 8 hospitals from 8 cities of Jiangsu province, China. Clinical findings of COVID-19 patients were described and risk factors for severe illness of COVID-19 were analyzed. By Feb 10, 2020, 202 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were enrolled. The median age of patients was 44.0 years (interquartile range, 33.0-54.0). 55 (27.2%) patients had comorbidities. At the onset of illness, the common symptoms were fever (156 [77.2%]) and cough (120 [59.4%]). 66 (32.7%) patients had lymphopenia. 193 (95.5%) patients had abnormal radiological findings. 11 (5.4%) patients were admitted to the intensive care unit and none of the patients died. 23 (11.4%) patients had severe illness. Severe illness of COVID-19 was independently associated with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 28 kg/m2 (odds ratio [OR], 9.219; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.731 to 31.126; P<0.001) and a known history of type 2 diabetes (OR, 4.326; 95% CI, 1.059 to 17.668; P = 0.041). In this case series in Jiangsu Province, COVID-19 patients had less severe symptoms and had better outcomes than the initial COVID-19 patients in Wuhan. The BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2 and a known history of type 2 diabetes were independent risk factors of severe illness in patients with COVID-19.