ABSTRACT
Objectives A kind of pneumonia caused by unknown causes that occurred in Wuhan, Hubei, China in December 2019, was reported as a result of novel coronavirus infection on January 7, 2020, and then WHO named it COVID-19. To compare the difference of epidemiology and clinical characteristics between asymptomatic COVID-19 infections and moderate type of confirmed cases.
Methods Retrospective, single-center cohort study of COVID-19 involving 52 infections of both 26 asymptomatic and 26 moderate type of confirmed cases in the recovery stage at Guizhou Provincial Staff Hospital in Guiyang, China, from January 29, to March 31, 2020; final date of follow-up was April 22. This study was registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Center. Documented the asymptomatic COVID-19 infections and moderate type of confirmed cases. Epidemiological, demographic, clinical, laboratory, radiological, and treatment data were collected and analyzed. Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of asymptomatic COVID-19 infections and moderate type of confirmed cases were compared.
Results The median treatment cycle of asymptomatic COVID-19 infections was 16 days (interquartile range, 11-20 days) and longer than 13 days (interquartile range, 10-15 days) of moderate type of confirmed cases (p=0.049). The median incubation period of asymptomatic COVID-19 infections was 10 days (interquartile range, 0-21 days), while the control group was 7 days (interquartile range, 1-15 days) (p=0.27). On the initial chest computerized tomography (CT) check, 18 (69.2%, 18/26) asymptomatic COVID-19 infections were no imaging changes, which was of no significance compared with 12 (46.2%, 12/26) patients with moderate type of confirmed patients (p=0.092).
Conclusions In this single-center study, we found that asymptomatic COVID-19 infections have longer treatment cycle than those moderate type of confirmed cases.
Key Points In this single-center case series involving 52 infections with asymptomatic and moderate type of COVID-19 cases, asymptomatic COVID-19 infections have longer treatment cycle than those moderate type of confirmed patients.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Clinical Trial
This study was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Register (CCTR number: ChiCTR2000032770, registered 10 May 2020). URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=53228%26htm=4.
Clinical Protocols
http://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=53228%26htm=4
Funding Statement
This study was supported by Science and Technology Support Plan of Guizhou Province in 2019 (Qian Ke He Support [2019] 2834) and Science and Technology Plan of Guizhou Province in 2020 (Qian Ke He Fundamental [2020] 1Z061).
Author Declarations
I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.
Yes
The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:
This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University.
All necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived.
Yes
I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).
Yes
I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines and uploaded the relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material as supplementary files, if applicable.
Yes
Footnotes
Changju Chen, Email: ccjfootball{at}163.com
Qinying Long, Email: 2681235339{at}qq.com
Yanbiao Huang, Email: 2412061435{at}qq.com
Jinhua Wu, Email: 862719568{at}qq.com
Yang Hong, Email: 2511176948{at}qq.com
Hourong Zhou, Email: 402843243{at}qq.com
Data Availability
We stated that all the data and materials were true and available in the study.
