Efficacy and safety of Reduning injection in the treatment of COVID-19: a randomized, multicenter clinical study.

BACKGROUND: Reduning injection is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with known efficacy against a variety of viral infections, but there is no data about its efficacy against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: To explore the efficacy and safety of Reduning injection in the treatment of COVID-19, a randomized, open-labeled, multicenter, controlled trial was conducted from 12 general hospitals between 2020.02.06 and 2020.03.23. Patients with COVID-19 who met the diagnostic criteria of the "Diagnosis and Treatment Program for Novel Coronavirus Infection Pneumonia (Trial Fifth Edition)". Patients were randomized to routine treatment with or without Reduning injection (20 mL/day for 14 days) (ChiCTR2000029589). The primary endpoint was the rate of achieving clinical symptom recovery on day 14 of treatment. RESULTS: There were 77 and 80 participants in the Reduning and control groups. The symptom resolution rate at 14 days was higher in the Reduning injection than in controls [full-analysis set (FAS): 84.4% vs. 60.0%, P=0.0004]. Compared with controls, the Reduning group showed shorter median time to resolution of the clinical symptoms (143 vs. 313.5 h, P<0.001), shorter to nucleic acid test turning negative (146.5 vs. 255.5 h, P<0.001), shorter hospital stay (14.1 vs. 18.1 days, P<0.001), and shorter time to defervescence (29 vs. 71 h, P<0.001). There was no difference in AEs (3.9% vs. 8.8%, P=0.383). CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary trial suggests that Reduning injection might be effective and safe in patients with symptomatic COVID-19.

[Clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 patients complicated with pneumothorax: analysis of 7 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients complicated with pneumothorax. METHODS: The clinical data of 7 COVID-19 patients complicated with pneumothorax admitted to Huanggang Central Hospital from January 3 to March 10, 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical features, diagnosis and treatment were summarized, and experience in the treatment of COVID-19 was shared. RESULTS: (1) General information: among the 7 patients, 5 were males and 2 were females. Four of them had no underlying disease, and 1 had a history of diabetes and hypertension. One patient had only a history of hypertension. There were 6 cases of right pneumothorax and 1 case of bilateral pneumothorax. The 7 patients had a long hospital stay, all over 4 weeks, mostly complicated with multiple organ dysfunction. (2) Imaging examination: 1 case evolved from the early stage to the advanced stage within 1 week and to the severe stage within 2 weeks. Pneumothorax occurred 4 weeks later, and was absorbed within 2 weeks. The remaining 6 patients presented progressive stage on admission, all of them advanced to severe stage within 1 to 2 weeks, and most of them presented diffused consolidation shadows, striation shadows and fibrosis of both lungs, obvious pleural adhesion, and extremely slow lesion absorption. (3) Treatment: 1 severe patient with pneumothorax 4 weeks after onset was given non-invasive mechanical ventilation. The remaining 6 critically ill patients were treated with endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. Five patients were treated with mechanical ventilation within 3 days after the occurrence of pneumothorax, and 1 patient was treated with mechanical ventilation after 11 days. (4) Outcome: 1 patient without endotracheal intubation was continuously given nasal high-flow oxygen therapy, and the condition was stable. Four of the 6 patients complicated with pneumothorax after endotracheal intubation died, and the other 2 patients successfully removed the drainage tube within 2 weeks of closed thoracic drainage, and their condition gradually stabilized. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 complicated with pneumothorax is a dangerous disease with poor prognosis, and should be paid adequate attention.

Development of a Predictive Model for Mortality in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: Early identification of patients with novel corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who may be at high mortality risk is of great importance. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we included all patients with COVID-19 at Huanggang Central Hospital from January 23 to March 5, 2020. Data on clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared between survivors and nonsurvivors. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to explore risk factors associated with in-hospital death. A nomogram was established based on the risk factors selected by multivariable analysis. RESULTS: A total of 150 patients were enrolled, including 31 nonsurvivors and 119 survivors. The multivariable logistic analysis indicated that increasing the odds of in-hospital death associated with higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (odds ratio [OR], 3.077; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.848-5.122; P < 0.001), diabetes (OR, 10.474; 95% CI: 1.554-70.617; P = 0.016), and lactate dehydrogenase greater than 245 U/L (OR, 13.169; 95% CI: 2.934-59.105; P = 0.001) on admission. A nomogram was established based on the results of the multivariable analysis. The AUC of the nomogram was 0.970 (95% CI: 0.947-0.992), showing good accuracy in predicting the risk of in-hospital death. CONCLUSIONS: This finding would facilitate the early identification of patients with COVID-19 who have a high-risk for fatal outcome.