A
recent cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China, was caused by a
novel betacoronavirus, the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). We report
the epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and radiological
characteristics and treatment and clinical outcomes of these patients.
Methods
All
patients with suspected 2019-nCoV were admitted to a designated
hospital in Wuhan. We prospectively collected and analysed data on
patients with laboratory-confirmed 2019-nCoV infection by real-time
RT-PCR and next-generation sequencing. Data were obtained with
standardised data collection forms shared by WHO and the International
Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium from
electronic medical records. Researchers also directly communicated with
patients or their families to ascertain epidemiological and symptom
data. Outcomes were also compared between patients who had been admitted
to the intensive care unit (ICU) and those who had not.
Findings
By
Jan 2, 2020, 41 admitted hospital patients had been identified as
having laboratory-confirmed 2019-nCoV infection.
Most of the infected
patients were men (30 [73%] of 41);
less than half had underlying
diseases (13 [32%])
including diabetes (eight [20%]),
hypertension (six
[15%]), and
cardiovascular disease (six [15%]).
Median age was 49·0
years (IQR 41·0–58·0).
27 (66%) of 41 patients had been exposed to
Huanan seafood market.
One family cluster was found.
Common symptoms at
onset of illness were
fever (40 [98%] of 41 patients),
cough (31 [76%]),
and
myalgia or fatigue (18 [44%]);
less common symptoms were
sputum
production (11 [28%] of 39),
headache (three [8%] of 38)
haemoptysis
(two [5%] of 39), and
diarrhoea (one [3%] of 38).
Dyspnoea developed in
22 (55%) of 40 patients (median time from illness onset to dyspnoea 8·0
days [IQR 5·0–13·0]).
26 (63%) of 41 patients had lymphopenia.
All 41
patients had pneumonia with abnormal findings on chest CT.
Complications
included acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (12 [29%]),
RNAaemia (six
[15%]),
acute cardiac injury (five [12%]) and
secondary infection (four
[10%]).
13 (32%) patients were admitted to an ICU and
six (15%) died.
Compared with non-ICU patients,
ICU patients had higher plasma levels of
IL2, IL7, IL10, GSCF, IP10, MCP1, MIP1A, and TNFα.
Interpretation
The
2019-nCoV infection caused clusters of severe respiratory illness
similar to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and was
associated with ICU admission and high mortality.
Major gaps in our
knowledge of the origin, epidemiology, duration of human transmission,
and clinical spectrum of disease need fulfilment by future studies.
Funding
Ministry
of Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences,
National Natural Science Foundation of China, and Beijing Municipal
Science and Technology Commission.
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