ABSTRACT
Objectives To investigate factors associated with the duration of viral shedding in patients with COVID-19 outside of Wuhan. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in Changsha, China were included. Clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, treatment and outcome were retrieved. Univariable and multivariable analysis were performed to explore potential factors. Results Totally 147 patients with COVID-19 were included. The median duration of viral shedding (the number of days from symptoms onset till the successive negative detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA) was 17 days (interquartile range [IQR], 12 to 21). Multivariable Logistic regression analysis indicated that the highest temperature at admission (odds ratio [OR], 5.200;95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.190-22.726;p = 0.028) and time from symptom onset to admission (OR, 1.740;95% CI: 1.296-2.337;p < 0.001) and hospital length of stay (OR, 1.604;95% CI: 1.262-2.040;p < 0.001) were risk factors for prolonged duration of viral shedding. Conclusions This is the study with relatively large sample size that mainly focused on the duration of viral shedding and relevant factors in patients with COVID-19 outside of Wuhan, China. Potential risk factors were identified and should be taken into consideration for the strategy of quarantine of infected patients.