Demographic, signs and symptoms, imaging characteristics of 2126 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia in the whole quarantine of Wuhan, China

ABSTR A C T Objective: The accurate knowledge of demographic, signs and symptoms, imaging characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is essential for the accurate management of these patients. However, the claims be-tween the previous papers are not always consistent and may even contradict each other, for example, some claims the virus infects more men than women in Wuhan. In this large-scale cohort study, we aimed to update the demographic, signs and symptoms, imaging characteristics of patients with COVID-19 in the whole quarantine of Wuhan, China. Methods: A cohort of 2126 patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia (confirmed by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, RT-PCR) who were admitted to one hospital in Wuhan were retro-spectively enrolled. Data were collected between January 13, 2020, and April 8, 2020, the end of Wuhan quarantine. Demographic, signs and symptoms, imaging characteristics were analyzed. CT imaging character-istics associated with respiratory failure or death were identified. Results: Of the 2126 patients with COVID-19, 1051 (49.44%) were men and 1075 (50.56%) were women, 1933 (90.92%) have fever and 1328 (62.46%) have dry cough. The mean age was 57.43 years of age (range 1-95). The CT imaging findings were bilateral pneumonia (1883[88.57%]), unilateral pneumonia (243[11.43%]), ground-glass opacity (GGO) or consolidation (1175[55.27%]), pleural effusion (69[3.25%]). Patients with respiratory failure or death were more likely to have pleural effusion on CT than patients without respiratory failure or death (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Men and women have been infected by SARS-CoV-2 in roughly equal numbers. Fever and cough are the most prevalent symptoms at disease onset in patients. Other prevalent symptoms include fatigue, and sputum production. COVID-19 patients with bilateral pneumonia and pleural effusion are more likely to develop res-piratory failure or death.

Automated summary

The objective of the large-scale cohort study was to provide updated information on the demographic, signs and symptoms, and imaging characteristics of COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, China. The study found that men and women were infected in roughly equal numbers, with fever and dry cough being the most common symptoms at disease onset. Patients with bilateral pneumonia and pleural effusion were more likely to develop respiratory failure or death.