Clinical characteristics and CT imaging features of COVID-19 on admission: A retrospective study.

Liu, Changchun; Cai, Jianping; Zhang, Mengmeng; Li, Huizhen; Liu, Chunyan; Dong, Jian; Dong, Jinghui

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become a global health issue. This study aimed to explore the clinical characteristics and CT imaging features of patients with COVID-19 on admission. METHODS Consecutive patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 were retrospectively recruited to this study from January 2020 to March 2020. According to the disease severity status on admission, patients were divided into two groups, the common group and the severe group. RESULTS Forty-four patients (F/M 20/24) confirmed with COVID-19 were enrolled in this study. The most common onset symptom was fever (90.9%), followed by cough (43.2%). As for the laboratory tests, common findings included increased C reactive protein (47.7%) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (43.2%), and decreased lymphocyte (34.1%). Frequency of decreased lymphocyte count and increased lactate dehydrogenase were higher in the severe group (n=14) than in the common group (n=30). About 86% patients showed typical imaging findings of COVID-19 infection including ground-glass opacity with ill-defined margins, air bronchogram, interlobular septal thickening, and consolidation. Lesions mainly located peripherally and subpleurally with diffuse distribution and multiple lung lobes affected. CONCLUSION Fever and cough are the most common onset symptoms of COVID-19. Increased C reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were the most common laboratory findings. Typical signs of chest CT imaging of COVID-19 included ground-glass opacity with ill-defined margins, air bronchogram, interlobular septal thickening, and consolidation.