Clinical Characteristics and Imaging Manifestations of the 2019 Novel
Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Patients in a Fangcang Shelter Hospital
Abstract
Background We sought to delineate the clinical characteristics and
imaging manifestations of the COVID-19 patients in a Fangcang shelter
hospital in Wuhan. Methods From Feb 11, 2020 to March 8, 2020, the
clinical, laboratory and HRCT features of 189 COVID-19 patients (23-74
years, 97 males, 92 females) were retrospectively collected and
analyzed. Clinical and radiological data of patients with different
sub-groups were compared. Results 127 (67.19%) patients have a BMI
higher than 23 kg/m2. The most common symptoms of the patients were
fever (154/189, 81.48%), cough (135/189, 71.43%) and fatigue (61/189,
32.28%). The average time for two consecutive negative nucleic acid
tests was 15.44±4.50 days. The average time of hospitalization was
17.48±3.93 days. The majority of the patients had a normal white blood
cell count (141/178, 79.21%), neutrophil percent (106/178, 59.55%),
lymphocyte percent (107/178, 60.11%) and platelet count (162/177,
91.53%). Positive correlations were found between age and CT parameters
(p<0.05), BMI and CT parameters (p<0.05) and
temperature and CT parameters (p<0.05). Severity of CT
parameters were not correlated to time for nucleic acid tests turning
negative and duration of hospitalization (p>0.05). Patients
with mild CT changes presented with slower recovery by follow-up
compared with those more severe on initial (p<0.05).
Conclusion Patients with COVID-19 infection usually have respiratory and
non-respiratory symptoms and presented with typical
ground-glass-opacities and other CT features, which showed significant
correlations with age, BMI and highest temperature. Patients with mild
opacifications on initial CT presented with slower recovery compared
with those who were more severe on initial.