Table 1.
Demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings on admission, treatment received, and outcome.
| Total (n = 97) | Low-flow oxygen support groupa (n = 56) | Non-invasive/invasive ventilatory support groupb (n = 41) | p-Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline characteristics | ||||
| Age (years), median (IQR) | 64 (54.5–75) | 64.5 (53–78) | 63 (57.5–72.5) | 0.441 |
| Sex, male | 60 (61.9%) | 31 (55.4%) | 29 (70.7%) | 0.124 |
| CCI score, median (IQR) | 3 (0–4) | 2.5 (0–4.75) | 3 (1–4) | 0.434 |
| CCI score >3 | 51 (52.6%) | 28 (50%) | 23 (56.1%) | 0.552 |
| Obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m2) | 21 (21.6%) | 6 (10.7%) | 15 (36.6%) | 0.002* |
| BMI (kg/m2), median (IQR) | 25.7 (23.9–28.1) | 24.9 (22.6–26.5) | 27.5 (25–31.6) | <0.001* |
| Diabetes | 15 (15.5%) | 4 (7.1%) | 11 (26.8%) | 0.01* |
| COPD (including asthma) | 10 (10.3%) | 3 (5.4%) | 7 (17.1%) | 0.090 |
| Coronary artery disease | 8 (8.2%) | 4 (7.1%) | 4 (7.1%) | 0.718 |
| Hypertension | 48 (49.5%) | 27 (48.2%) | 21 (51.2%) | 0.770 |
| Cerebrovascular disease (including vascular dementia) | 12 (12.4%) | 8 (14.3%) | 4 (7.1%) | 0.551 |
| Active neoplasia (solid or onco-haematological) | 2 (2.1%) | 2 (3.6%) | 0 (0) | 0.500 |
| HIV infection | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | – |
| Other immunodeficiency | 2 (2.1%) | 1 (1.8%) | 1 (1.8%) | 1 |
| Chronic renal failure | 5 (5.2%) | 2 (3.6%) | 3 (5.4%) | 0.647 |
| Symptoms at home | ||||
| Fever (>37.5 °C) | 85 (87.6%) | 51 (91.1%) | 34 (82.9%) | 0.229 |
| Cough | 68 (70.1%) | 40 (71.4%) | 28 (68.3%) | 0.739 |
| Pharyngodynia | 8 (8.2%) | 6 (10.7%) | 2 (4.9%) | 0.461 |
| Dyspnoea | 43 (44.3%) | 20 (35.7%) | 23 (56.1%) | 0.046* |
| Haemoptysis | 1 (1%) | 0 (0) | 1 (1.8%) | 0.423 |
| Headache | 2 (2.1%) | 1 (1.8%) | 1 (1.8%) | 1 |
| Coryza | 3 (3.1%) | 1 (1.8%) | 2 (4.9%) | 0.572 |
| Diarrhoea | 4 (4.1%) | 1 (1.8%) | 3 (5.4%) | 0.308 |
| Myalgia | 8 (8.2%) | 4 (7.1%) | 4 (7.1%) | 0.719 |
| Asthenia | 28 (28.9%) | 7 (12.5%) | 21 (51.2%) | <0.001* |
| Vomiting | 4 (4.1%) | 2 (3.6%) | 2 (4.9%) | 1 |
| Rash | 1 (1%) | 1 (1.8%) | 0 (0) | 1 |
| Time since symptoms to admission (days), median (IQR) | 6 (3–9) | 6 (2–8) | 6 (4–9.5) | 0.080 |
| Clinical features, imaging and laboratory findings on admission | ||||
| Temperature >38 °C | 25 (25.8%) | 5 (8.9%) | 20 (48.8%) | <0.001* |
| SOFA score at admission, median (IQR) | 2 (1–2) | 1 (1–2) | 2 (2–3) | <0.001* |
| SOFA score ≥2 | 58 (59.8%) | 24 (42.9%) | 34 (82.9%) | <0.001* |
| PaO2/FiO2, median (IQR) | 296 (244–348) | 318 (272–379) | 261 (200–299) | <0.001* |
| PaO2/FiO2 <300 | 54 (55.7%) | 21 (37.5%) | 33 (80.5%) | <0.001* |
| Infiltrates on chest imagingc | 88 (90.7%) | 48 (85.7%) | 40 (97.6%) | 0.080 |
| Leukocytes (×109/l), median (IQR) | 5.7 (4.6–8.8) | 5.3 (4.5–7.8) | 6.3 (4.6–8.4) | 0.303 |
| Leukocytes <4 × 109/l | 17 (17.5%) | 9 (16.1%) | 8 (19.5%) | 0.660 |
| Leukocytes >10 × 109/l | 16 (16.5%) | 9 (16.1%) | 7 (17.1%) | 0.896 |
| Lymphocytes (×109/l), median (IQR) | 0.90 (0.7–1.2) | 1 (0.7–1.2) | 0.85 (0.71–1.34) | 0.509 |
| Lymphocytes <0.8 × 109/l | 35 (36.1%) | 17 (30.4%) | 18 (43.9%) | 0.170 |
| Platelets (×109/l), median (IQR) | 180 (149.5–249.5) | 172 (148–242) | 187 (149–262) | 0.537 |
| Platelets <150 × 109/l | 24 (24.7%) | 14 (25%) | 10 (24.4%) | 0.945 |
| ALT (U/l), median (IQR) | 31 (21–42) | 24 (16–38) | 39 (26.5–50) | <0.001* |
| ALT >40 U/l | 30 (30.9%) | 11 (19.6%) | 19 (46.3%) | 0.006* |
| LDH (U/l), median (IQR) | 319.5 (234–402) | 270.5 (210–362) | 370.5 (295.5–477.5) | <0.001* |
| LDH > 250 U/l | 64 (66%) | 29 (51.8%) | 35 (85.4%) | <0.001* |
| Creatinine (mg/dl), median (IQR) | 0.92 (0.7–1) | 0.92 (0.7–1) | 0.91 (0.7–1.1) | 0.540 |
| D-dimer (ng/mL), median (IQR) | 923 (612–1346) | 992 (804–1433) | 948.5 (700–1202) | 0.776 |
| D-dimer >1000 ng/mL | 35 (43.8%) | 12 (21.4%) | 23 (56.1%) | 0.005* |
| CRP (mg/dl), median (IQR) | 7.4 (3–13) | 6 (2–9) | 12 (5–19) | <0.001* |
| Procalcitonin (ng/mL), median (IQR) (n = 62) | 0.13 (0.07–0.3) | 0.10 (0.06–0.27) | 0.16 (0.09–0.30) | 0.155 |
| Therapy | ||||
| Antiviral | 89 (91.8%) | 49 (87.5%) | 40 (97.6%) | 0.075 |
| Hydroxychloroquine | 88 (90.7%) | 48 (85.7%) | 40 (97.6%) | 0.045* |
| Corticosteroids | 44 (45.4%) | 14 (25%) | 30 (73.2%) | <0.0001* |
| Tocilizumab | 24 (24.7%) | 3 (5.4%) | 21 (51.2%) | <0.0001* |
| Antibiotic | 91 (93.8%) | 50 (89.3%) | 41 (100%) | 0.037* |
| Clinical course (on May 14, 2020) | ||||
| Cured and discharged | 86 (88.7%) | 53 (94.6%) | 33 (80.5%) | 0.034 |
| Still admitted | 2 (2.1%) | 1 (1.8%) | 1 (1.8%) | – |
| Died | 9 (9.3%) | 2 (3.6%) | 7 (17.1%) | – |
ALT, alanine aminotransferase; BMI, body mass index; CCI, Charlson Comorbidity Index; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CRP, C-reactive protein; IQR, interquartile range; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; SOFA, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment.
a
Low-flow oxygen support group: Venturi mask or low-flow systems oxygen therapy (nasal cannula). This group included five patients (8%) with no need for supplemental oxygen.
b
Non-invasive/invasive ventilatory support group: continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or bilevel positive airway pressure (BPAP) (non-invasive ventilation) or mechanical ventilation.
c
Including chest X-ray and computed tomography scan.