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Improved Early Recognition of Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19): Single-Center Data from a Shanghai Screening
Ling Peng1,2, Kang-Yong Liu3, Fei Xue2
1Guizhou medical university, Guiyang, China. No. 9 Beijing Road, Yunyan District, Guiyang 550025, China.
Insights
Early COVID-19 diagnosis is challenging in non-outbreak areas due to non-specific symptoms and imaging. Etiological testing is crucial for confirming coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in suspected patients.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
- Radiology
Background:
- The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.
- COVID-19 has rapidly spread globally, affecting over 200 countries.
- Nucleic acid testing is the primary diagnostic method for COVID-19.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19.
- To evaluate imaging manifestations and diagnostic value of COVID-19.
- To clarify early COVID-19 epidemiology and clinical features in a non-outbreak setting.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study of 86 patients screened at Zhoupu Hospital, Shanghai, China (January 23 - February 16, 2020).
- Collected and analyzed data on epidemiology, demography, clinical presentation, laboratory results, and chest CT scans.
- Patients were categorized into COVID-19 confirmed and non-COVID-19 groups based on nucleic acid test results.
Main Results:
- 11 out of 86 screened patients (12.8%) were confirmed with COVID-19.
- No significant differences in clinical symptoms (fever, cough, etc.) were observed between confirmed and suspected cases (P > 0.05).
- Plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) showed no statistical difference (P = 0.402), while white blood cell and lymphocyte counts were slightly lower in confirmed patients (P < 0.05).
- Some non-COVID-19 patients exhibited chest CT findings like ground-glass opacities (GGO) and subpleural lesions.
Conclusions:
- Early clinical and imaging findings of COVID-19 are not distinctive in non-outbreak regions.
- Prompt etiological testing is recommended for all clinically suspected COVID-19 cases.
Background:
In 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 more than 200 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 is 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, 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 District, Shanghai, China, from January 23 to February 16, 2020. Epidemiology, demography, clinical, laboratory and chest CTs were collected and analyzed. The screened patients were divided into COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 based on nucleic acid test results.
Results:
Of the 86 screened patients, 11 were confirmed (12.8%) by nucleic acid testing (mean age 40.73 ± 11.32, 5 males). No significant differences were found in clinical symptoms including fever, cough, dyspnea, sore throat, and fatigue (P > 0.05). No statistical difference was observed in 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 CTs also showed subpleural lesions, 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.
Conclusion:
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.
