Clinical Symptom and characterize of patients with COVID-19
The present study included a total of 100 hospitalized patients (52(52%) male and 48 (48%) female) with confirmed COVID-19. The patients were classified into three clinical groups: mild (22 cases, 22%), moderate (38 cases, 38%) and sever (40 cases, 40%). The average age was 50 years (IQR, 37.25-58.75). The median ages in the severe (51.5 ± 13.5 years) and moderate (52.5 ± 12.5 years) groups were slightly higher than the mild group (43 ± 12.5 years). Thus, there was no significant association between patient ages with disease severity. Also, the percentage of males (57.5%) was somewhat more than females (42.5%) in the severe and moderate groups compared to the mild group (males 41%, females 59%) (Table 1). Moreover, radiological sign of pneumonia was observed at in 78 patients (78%) at the first clinical evaluation. The most common underlying diseases among the patients were diabetes 37(37%), hypertension 32(32%), cardiovascular disease 15(15%), asthma 14(14%). Some clinical symptoms of patients such as obesity (BMI>30) (p=0.05), fever (℃ >39.0) (p=0.009), shortness of breath (p=0.015), muscle soreness (p=0.007), chill (p=0.025), loss of consciousness (p=0.041), odor disorder (p=0.036), anorexia (p=0.029) and taste disorder (p=0.027) were significantly associated with severity of disease. However, we find no significant correlation between age, sex, blood group and the underlying disease such as diabetic, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, organ failure, asthma disease, also other symptoms such as fatigue, sore throat, chest pain, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, visual impairment in patients with severity of disease (Table 1).
Table 1
Baseline characteristics of 100 COVID-19 patients
|
No (%)
Total (N=100)
|
Mild (N=22)
|
Moderate (N= 38)
|
Severe (N=40)
|
p-value
|
Age, y, median (IQR)
|
50 (37.25-58.75)
|
43 (35.5-50)
|
52.5 (37.75-59.25)
|
51.5 (38.25-62.5)
|
0.198
|
Sex
Female
Male
|
48 (48%)
52 (52%)
|
13 (59%)
9 (41%)
|
18 (47.3%)
20 (52.7%)
|
17 (42.5%)
23 (57.5%)
|
0.455
|
Normal(BMI<25)
Overweight(25<BMI<30)
obesity(BMI>30)
|
22 (22%)
40 (40%)
38 (38%)
|
11 (50%)
5 (22.7%)
6 (27.3%)
|
5 (13.2%)
20 (52.6%)
13 (34.2%)
|
6 (15%)
15 (37.5%)
19 (47.5%)
|
0.05
|
Blood group
A+
A−
B+
B−
AB+
AB−
O+
O−
|
29(29%)
4(4%)
24(24%)
2(2%)
11(11%)
1(1%)
28 (28%)
1(1%)
|
5 (23%)
0
4 (18%)
1(4.5%)
3 (14%)
1(4.5%)
7 (32%)
1(4.5%)
|
11 (29%)
2 (5%)
10 (26%)
1(2.6%)
5 (13%)
0
9 (23%)
0
|
13 (32.5%)
2(5%)
11(27.5%)
0
3 (7.5%)
0
12 (30%)
0
|
0. 386
|
Diabetic
|
37 (37%)
|
5 (22.7%)
|
16 (42.1%)
|
16 (40%)
|
0.286
|
Hypertension
|
32 (32%)
|
4 (18%)
|
11 (29%)
|
17 (42.5%)
|
|
Cardiovascular disease
|
15 (15%)
|
3 (13.6%)
|
3 (7.9%)
|
9 (22.5%)
|
0.192
|
Organ failure
|
25 (25%)
|
4 (18.2%)
|
11(28.9%)
|
10 (25%)
|
0.65
|
Asthma
|
14 (14%)
|
4 (18.2%)
|
4 (10.5%)
|
6(15%)
|
0.685
|
Signs and symptoms
|
|
Fever (℃)
<37.3
37.3-39.0
>39.0
|
37 (37%)
51 (51%)
12 (12%)
|
15 (68%)
6 (27%)
1 (4.5%)
|
13 (34%)
21 (55%)
4 (10%)
|
9 (22.5%)
24 (60%)
7 (17.5%)
|
0.009
|
SPO2
95%-100%
90-94%
<90
|
37(37%)
52(52%)
11(11%)
|
22 (100%)
|
13(34%)
24(63%)
1(3%)
|
2(5%)
28(70%)
10 (25%)
|
|
Fatigue
|
87 (87%)
|
20 (90.9%)
|
32 (84.2%)
|
35 (87.5%)
|
0.753
|
Muscle soreness
|
78 (78%)
|
17 (77.3%)
|
24 (63.2%)
|
37 (92.5%)
|
0.007
|
Chills
|
81 (81%)
|
18 (81.8%)
|
26 (68.4%)
|
37 (92.5%)
|
0.025
|
Sore throat
|
36 (36%)
|
8 (36%)
|
14 (37%)
|
14 (35%)
|
0.985
|
Shortness of breath
|
64 (64%)
|
10 (45%)
|
22 (58%)
|
32 (80%)
|
0.015
|
Cough
|
69 (69%)
|
16 (73%)
|
24 (63%)
|
29 (72.5%)
|
0.613
|
Chest pain
|
50 (50%)
|
8 (36.4%)
|
19 (50%)
|
23 (57.5%)
|
0.281
|
Headache
|
52 (52%)
|
14 (63.6%)
|
22 (57.9%)
|
16 (40%)
|
0.133
|
Nausea
|
36 (36%)
|
9 (40.9%)
|
14 (36.8%)
|
13 (32.5%)
|
0.797
|
vomiting
|
19 (19%)
|
5 (22.7%)
|
7 (18.4%)
|
7 (17.5%)
|
0.876
|
diarrhea
|
37 (37%)
|
9 (40.9%)
|
11(28.9%)
|
17 (42.5%)
|
0.423
|
Loss of consciousness
|
17 (17%)
|
0
|
7 (18.4%)
|
9 (22.5%)
|
0.041
|
Visual impairment
|
22 (22%)
|
2 (9.1%)
|
8 (21.1%)
|
12 (30%)
|
0.161
|
Odor disorder
|
53 (53%)
|
13(59.1%)
|
14 (36.8%)
|
26 (65%)
|
0.036
|
Anorexia
|
61 (61%)
|
9 (40.9%)
|
23 (60.5%)
|
30 (75%)
|
0.029
|
Abdominal pain
|
22 (22%)
|
7 (31.8%)
|
7 (18.4%)
|
8 (20%)
|
0.446
|
Taste disorder
|
39(39%)
|
6(27.3%)
|
11(28.9%)
|
22(55%)
|
0.027
|
Several laboratory markers such as ferritin, LDH and D-dimer were increased, while fibrinogen level was decreased in most patients at baseline after admission in hospital (step1) compare to two months after admission for COVID-19 (step2). Liver injury marker such as AST, ALT and ALP were also significantly increased at baseline (Table 2). In addition, we found that the higher WBC, NUT counts as well as lower LYM counts were correlated with the increased level of IgG two months after admission, resulting a longer time of immunity. It follows that the patients in sever group has better and longer immunity compare to mild groups (Table 3).
Table 2
laboratory examinations of corona virus infected patients. Continuous variables are reported as median (interquartile range)
|
|
mild
|
|
|
moderate
|
|
|
severe
|
|
|
Blood routine
|
normal range
|
step1
|
step2
|
p-value
|
step1
|
step2
|
p-value
|
step1
|
step2
|
p-value
|
WBC, ×109/L
|
4_9
|
11.2 (6.07-13.99)
|
5.50 (4.65-7.35)
|
0
|
8.85 (5.44-11.38)
|
5.85 (5.27-6.60)
|
0.001
|
12.13 (9.39-16.00)
|
6.80 (5.57-7.97)
|
0
|
Neutrophils, ×109/L
|
2.8_6.3
|
7.48(3.93-11.4)
|
3(2.42-4.53)
|
0
|
6.28(2.99-9.48)
|
3.34(2.7-3.8)
|
0
|
10.73(7.42-13.85)
|
3.75(2.9-5.12)
|
0
|
Lymphocytes, ×109/L
|
2_4.5
|
1.32(0.9-2.11)
|
1.95(1.5-2.5)
|
0.05
|
1.33(0.89-1.91)
|
2.05(1.77-2.5)
|
0.001
|
0.93(0.77-1.39)
|
2.1(1.6-2.7)
|
0
|
Platelets, ×109/L
|
150_450
|
238.5(188.5-262)
|
233(192.25-263.25)
|
0.974
|
198.5(149.25-269.5)
|
255.5(185-267.5)
|
0.056
|
223.5(180.25-294)
|
239(216.25-275.25)
|
0.023
|
AST (IU/L)
|
<40
|
35(28.75-47.25)
|
28.5(24-32.25)
|
0.008
|
36(26-47.5)
|
28.5(25.75-33.00)
|
0.001
|
44.5(30.25-74.5)
|
30(28.00-32.75
|
0
|
ALT (IU/L)
|
<40
|
30(22.25-40.25)
|
20.5(18.00-24.5)
|
0.006
|
28(20.5-66.00)
|
26(22.25-30.00)
|
0.012
|
54.5(25.25-74.5)
|
28(26-30)
|
0
|
ALP (IU/L)
|
65_306
|
178(153.25-241)
|
202.5(200.00-210.25)
|
0.426
|
176(131.25-203.00)
|
195(166.00-216.25)
|
0.032
|
194.5(147.25-245.00)
|
200(177.75-211.50)
|
0.914
|
LDH
|
<500
|
394(313.5-508.0)
|
255(241.75-278.5)
|
0
|
470(385.00-534.75)
|
288.5(257.75-316.00)
|
0
|
466.5(378.75-657.75)
|
310(277.75-360.00)
|
0
|
d-dimer
|
>200
|
50(50-287)
|
50(50-50)
|
0.007
|
200(50-300)
|
50(50-50)
|
0
|
325(50-800)
|
50(50-50)
|
0
|
fibrinogen
|
200_400
|
484(403-484)
|
484(476.75-490.75)
|
0.001
|
403(356-484)
|
484(463.75-489.00)
|
0
|
403(323-440)
|
465.5(460-484)
|
0
|
Ferittin
|
10_200
|
271.44(117.99-573.50)
|
66.5(43.0-164.5)
|
0
|
363.05(172.66-937.49)
|
83(36.75-150.75)
|
0
|
546.66(304.75-942.24)
|
94(68.25-164.75)
|
0
|
IgG
|
<0.9
|
0(0.00-2.92)
|
12.17(6.5-16.4)
|
0.116
|
0(0.00-0.37)
|
15.07(8.09-17.88)
|
0.05
|
0(0.00-6.67)
|
16.8(12.10-18.72)
|
0.001
|
IgM
|
<0.9
|
0(0.00-1.35)
|
0(0-0)
|
0.5
|
0(0-0)
|
0(0.00-1.87)
|
0.1
|
0(0.00-1.35)
|
0(0-0)
|
0.1
|
Note : Data are presented as median (IQR) interquartile range
|
Table 3
Pearson correlation analysis between IgM-IgG antibody and laboratory profiles
|
p value
|
IgM1
|
IgG2
|
WBC, ×109/L
|
0.69
|
0.027*
|
Neutrophils, ×109/L
|
0.568
|
0.012*
|
Lymphocytes, ×109/L
|
0.206
|
0.046*
|
Ferittin
|
0.241
|
0.348
|
Note:*p < .05 was considered statistically significant
|
Interestingly, we found some abnormalities laboratory findings in the sever groups and non-severe groups. Our data showed that the IgG levels in severe group was significantly higher than mild groups. This also included higher WBC, higher neutrophil and lower lymphocyte counts among the groups (p < .05) (Figure 2).