Treatment strategies of hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease-19

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic presented significant challenges for healthcare systems, particularly in managing patient influx from affected areas.
• Changsha experienced a surge in coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) cases, necessitating treatment for individuals migrating from Wuhan and those already infected.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the clinical characteristics, epidemiological links, and treatment outcomes of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Changsha.
• To identify risk factors associated with severe COVID-19 disease progression.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective case series of 238 consecutive hospitalized COVID-19 patients at the First Hospital of Changsha city, China.
• Data collected from January 21 to February 27, 2020, focusing on patient demographics, travel history, contact tracing, disease severity, treatments, and outcomes.

Main Results:

• Of 238 patients, 43.7% had visited Wuhan, and 58.4% had contact with individuals from Wuhan. Severe/critical cases were significantly more likely to have traveled to or had contact with people from Wuhan (P=0.02).
• All patients received antiviral therapy, with combinations of Lopinavir/Ritonavir and Interferon being common. Severe cases also received glucocorticoids, gamma-globulin, and oxygen therapy, with some requiring mechanical ventilation.
• The median hospital stay was 13 days, and the 28-day discharge rate was 76.4%. Importantly, no hospital-related transmission of COVID-19 was documented.

Conclusions:

• Wuhan travel and contact history were associated with increased severity of COVID-19 in Changsha.
• Standard antiviral and supportive care regimens were employed, leading to a notable discharge rate within 28 days.
• The study highlights the importance of contact tracing and underscores the effectiveness of hospital infection control measures in preventing nosocomial transmission.