Research Article Improve early recognition of Coronavirus disease-2019(COVID-19) : Single-center data report from Shanghai Screening Hospital
Background: Since December, 2019, an outbreak of a novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19; previously known as 2019-nCoV) was reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, which has subsequently affected 26 countries worldwide including Europe, North America, Oceania, Africa and other places. The number of infected people is rapidly increasing, while the diagnostic method of COVID-19 only by nucleic acid testing.
Objective: To explain the epidemiological characteristics, clinical features, imaging manifestations and to judge diagnostic value of COVID-19 by analyzing the clinical data of COVID-19 suspected and confirmed patients in a non-outbreak areas ,Shanghai, China. To clarify the early epidemiology and clinical characteristics about COVID-19.
Methods: Cross-sectional, single-center case reports of the 86 patients screened at Zhoupu Hospital in Pudong New Area, Shanghai, China，from January 23 to February 16, 2020. Epidemiology, demography, clinical, laboratory and chest CTs will be collected and analyzed.Screening patients are divided into COVID-19 and Non-COVID-19 by nucleic acid test results.
Results: Of the 86 screening patients, 11 were confirmed (12.8%)by nucleic acid testing(mean age 40.73 ± 11.32, 5 male). No significant differences in clinical symptoms including fever, cough, dyspnea, sore throat, and fatigue. (P>0.05). No statistical difference in the plasma C-reactive protein（CRP） between the two groups (COVID-19 and Non-COVID-19 ) of patients (p=0.402), while the white blood cell count and lymphocyte count of the confirmed patients were slightly lower than those of the suspected patients(p<0.05).Some Non-COVID-19 chest CT also showed subpleural imaging, such as ground-glass opacities(GGO) combined with bronchiectasis; or halo nodules distributed under the pleura with focal GGO; consolidation of subpleural distribution or combined with air bronchi sign and vascular bundle sign, etc.
Conclusions: The early clinical manifestations and imaging findings of COVID-19 are not characteristic in non-outbreak areas. Etiological testing should be performed as early as possible for clinically suspected patients.
© by the Authors & Gavin Publishers. This is an Open Access Journal Article Published Under Attribution-Share Alike CC BY-SA: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International License. Read More About Open Access Policy.