Clinical and laboratory characteristics of severe and non‐severe patients with COVID‐19: A retrospective cohort study in China

Shi, Shaorui; Nie, Bin; Chen, Xinzu; Cai, Qiang; Lin, Chunxin; Zhao, Guangda; Zhang, Xingying

BACKGROUND: Patients diagnosed with the novel coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) who develop severe symptoms need to be determined in advance so that appropriate treatment strategies are in place. METHODS: To determine the clinic features of patients diagnosed definitely with COVID‐19 and evaluate risk factors for severe outcome, the medical records of hospitalized patients were reviewed retrospectively by us and data were compiled. Laboratory data from 90 cases were analyzed, and COVID‐19 patients were classified into two groups (severe and non‐severe) based on the severity. RESULTS: Severe COVID‐19 cases on admission had higher leukocyte and neutrophil counts, neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR), D‐dimer, fibrinogen, C‐reactive protein levels, and lower lymphocyte counts compared with those of non‐severe cases (p < 0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) for leukocyte counts, neutrophil counts, and levels of C‐reactive protein was 0.778, 0.831, and 0.800, respectively. The thresholds were 7.70 × 10(9)/L for leukocyte counts, 5.93 × 10⁹/L for neutrophil counts, and 75.07 mg/L for C‐reactive protein, respectively. Logistic regression analyses indicated that higher white blood cell (WBC) counts (OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.05–1.71), neutrophil counts (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.06–1.73), and C‐reactive protein levels (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.0–1.04) were several predictive factors for severe outcome. Severe COVID‐19 patients had a reduction in WBC counts, D‐dimer, C‐reactive protein, and fibrinogen upon discharge from hospital, while lymphocyte counts increased (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Counts of WBC, neutrophil, and lymphocyte, NLR, and levels of C‐reactive protein, D‐dimer, and fibrinogen are helpful for prediction of the deterioration trend in patients diagnosed with COVID‐19.