ABSTRACT
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global health problem. We aim to investigate the changes in the results of viral nucleic acid tests on pharyngeal swabs and feces of patients with COVID-19 and CT imaging of lungs as the disease progresses. Methods: Seven patients with COVID-19 in the third affiliated hospital of Sun Yat-sen University Yuedong Hospital were retrospectively enrolled with clinical features, including imaging staging, and performance characteristics of viral nucleic acid test results of pharyngeal swabs and feces. The dynamic changes of these features were observed during hospitalization, and therapeutic effect and prognosis of patients were evaluated. Results: The results of seven confirmed cases were positive for viral nucleic acid tests on pharyngeal swabs early after the onset of symptoms, and then turned negative; while the results of viral nucleic acid tests on feces were persistently positive in the mid-term clinical treatment and recovery period. And the viral nucleic acid test results were capricious in three cases. Pulmonary CT imaging showed characteristic changes in early, advanced and recovery phases. Conclusion: The application of viral nucleic acid detection and pulmonary CT imaging can be used for screeningof suspected cases, and early diagnosis and dynamic condition assessment of patients.
Subject(s)
COVID-19ABSTRACT
Background Since December 2019, an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that began in Wuhan and rapidly spread globally. The speed and scope of spread of COVID-19 makes urgent of the defining clinical characteristics, serological and radiological changes of the affected patients.Method 7 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 who admitted to the Third affiliated hospital of Sun Yat-sen university Yuedong hospital from January 2020 to March 2020 were retrospectively enrolled and their clinical features, serological and radiological longitudinal changes were analyzed.Results Among the 7 patients, all (100%) had a clear epidemiological history. The most common symptoms were respiratory symptoms 6 (85.7%), and only 2 (28.6%) of the patients had fever at their first visit. The cohort included 4 (57.1%) common types and 3 (42.9%) severe types. Two (28.6%) common types patients developed to severe type in a short time. All of the 7 patients (100%) had abnormal liver function, normal renal function and normal procalcitonin. The detection time of specific antibody in 7 patients was 5~13d after symptoms. Before the specific antibody could be detected, the absolute value of lymphocytes decreased in 2 (28.6%) common type cases transferred to severe type cases accompanied with obvious progress in pulmonary imaging, and the phenomenon of decreased albumin and elevated globulin occurred in 6 patients (85.7%). The predominant pattern of lung lesions observed was bilateral (71.4%) and mainly near the pleura at the first diagnosis. Bilateral pulmonary involvement occurred in 6 cases (85.7%) during the course of disease. In 4 cases (57.1%) with obvious pulmonary lesions, the absolute value of lymphocytes decreased, albumin decreased and globulin increased during the course of the disease. Conclusion Serum specific antibodies can be detected within 2 weeks of onset. Close observation of the dynamic changes of absolute value of blood lymphocytes, serum albumin and globulin which were related to pulmonary imaging changes in patients will contribute to assessment of COVID-19.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Fever , Lung DiseasesABSTRACT
Background Since December 2019, an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that began in Wuhan and rapidly spread globally. The speed and scope of spread of COVID-19 makes urgent of the defining clinical characteristics, serological and radiological changes of the affected patients. Method 7 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 who admitted to the Third affiliated hospital of Sun Yat-sen university Yuedong hospital from January 2020 to March 2020 were retrospectively enrolled and their clinical features, serological and radiological longitudinal changes were analyzed. Results Among the 7 patients, all (100%) had a clear epidemiological history. The most common symptoms were respiratory symptoms 6 (85.7%), and only 2 (28.6%) of the patients had fever at their first visit. The cohort included 4 (57.1%) common types and 3 (42.9%) severe types. Two (28.6%) common types patients developed to severe type in a short time. All of the 7 patients (100%) had abnormal liver function, normal renal function and normal procalcitonin. The detection time of specific antibody in 7 patients was 5~13d after symptoms. Before the specific antibody could be detected, the absolute value of lymphocytes decreased in 2 (28.6%) common type cases transferred to severe type cases accompanied with obvious progress in pulmonary imaging, and the phenomenon of decreased albumin and elevated globulin occurred in 6 patients (85.7%). The predominant pattern of lung lesions observed was bilateral (71.4%) and mainly near the pleura at the first diagnosis. Bilateral pulmonary involvement occurred in 6 cases (85.7%) during the course of disease. In 4 cases (57.1%) with obvious pulmonary lesions, the absolute value of lymphocytes decreased, albumin decreased and globulin increased during the course of the disease. Conclusion Serum specific antibodies can be detected within 2 weeks of onset. Close observation of the dynamic changes of absolute value of blood lymphocytes, serum albumin and globulin which were related to pulmonary imaging changes in patients will contribute to assessment of COVID-19.