Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of 421 Patients with COVID-19 Treated in a Mobile Cabin Hospital

Xiong, Zhongwei; Xin, Can; Yan, MD Xixi; Cai, Yuankun; Zhou, Keyao; Xie, Chuanshun; Zhang, Tingbao; Wu, Xiaohui; Liu, Kui; Li, Zhiqiang; Wang, Wei; Chen, Jincao

Abstract Background In December 2019, a novel coronavirus-associated pneumonia (COVID-19) was first detected in Wuhan, China. To prevent the rapid spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and treat patients with mild symptoms, sports stadiums and convention centers were reconstructed into mobile hospitals. Research Question Whether a mobile cabin hospital can provide a safe treatment site for patients with mild COVID-19 symptoms remains unknown. Study Design and Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 421 patients with COVID-19 admitted to a mobile cabin hospital in Wuhan from February 9th to March 5th, 2020. Clinical data comprised patient age, sex, clinical presentation, chest imaging, nucleic acid testing, length of hospitalization, and outcomes. Results The outcome was recovery and hospital discharge in 86% of patients, while 14.0% developed severe symptoms and were transferred to a designated hospital. The most common presenting symptoms were fever (60.6%) and cough (52.0%), while 5.2% showed no obvious symptoms. High fever (>39.0°C) was more common in severe cases than recovered cases (18.6% versus 6.6%). The distribution of lung lesions was peripheral in 85.0% of patients, multifocal in 69.4%, and bilateral in 68.2%. The most common pattern was ground-glass opacity (67.7%), followed by patchy shadowing (49.2%). The incidence of patchy shadowing was higher in severe patients (66.1%) than in those who recovered (31.8%, P<.0001). The median length of hospitalization was 17 (14–19) days, and the median time taken for positive real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction results to become negative in recovered patients was 8 (6–10) days. Interpretation Mobile cabin hospitals provide a safe treatment site for patients with mild COVID-19 symptoms, and provide an effective isolation area to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2.