Clinical features and chest CT findings in moderate and severe COVID-19 patients: an analysis of 506 cases from Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the clinical features and chest CT findings in moderate and severe COVID-19 patients. Method(s) A total of 506 patients with COVID-19 treated in Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital during February 9 to March 9, 2020 were enrolled in the study, including 365 moderate cases and 141 severe cases. The clinical features and chest CT findings were retrospectively analyzed. Chi-square test and Fisher's exact probability were used for data analysis. Result(s) The proportions of patients with diabetes and hypertension in severe group were significantly higher than those in moderate group (chi2=9.377 and 15.085, P<0.01). Compared with the severe patients, the white blood cell counts and lymphocyte counts of moderate patients were statistically significant (chi2=14.816 and 30.097, P<0.01). The protortion of increased CRP in severe patients was higher than that in moderate patients (chi2=21.639, P<0.01). The cure rate and discharge rate of severe patients were significantly lower than those of moderate patients (P<0.01). Compared with the moderate cases of COVID-19, the CT images in severe patients mainly showed lesions of diffuse distribution, mixed density, with maximum diameter>10 cm and involved all five lung lobes (P<0.01). The severe patients had more imaging signs of air bronchogram, bronchovascular thickening, pleural thickening, mediastinal or hilar lymphnodes enlargement, pleural effusion and pericardial effusion than moderate patients (chi2=33.357, 11.114, 14.580, 5.978, 45.731 and 6.623, P<0.05 or <0.01). Conclusion(s) There are differences in clinical features and chest CT findings between moderate and severe patients, and chest CT findings can be used as important criteria for clinical classification.Copyright © 2020 by the Chinese Medical Association.