Table 1.
Basic characteristics of included studies.
| First author | Publication date in 2020 | n | Single- or multicenter∗ | Patient population | Age†, yr | Follow-up | Diagnosis and severity criteria‡ | Outcomes§ | Quality score|| |
| Huang CL[2] | Feb 15 | 41 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Hubei Province | 49 (41–58) | Dec 2019 to Jan 2, 2020 | WHO interim guideline | ① | 7 |
| Wan SX[3] | Apr 16 | 123 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Chongqing Three Gorges Central Hospital | 43.1 ± 13.1/61.2 ± 15.6 | Jan 26 to Feb 4 | WHO interim guideline | ⑥⑦ | 8 |
| Qin C[4] | Mar 12 | 452 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Huazhong University of Science and Technology | 52.1 ± 15.1/60.3 ± 13.4 | Jan 10 to Feb 12 | Trial fifth Edition | ①②③④⑤⑥⑦ | 8 |
| Xiao KH[5] | Feb 27 | 143 | Single | Mild, severe, and critically ill COVID-19 patients in Chongqing Three Gorges Central Hospital | 45.1 ± 1.0 | Jan 23 to Feb 28 | Trial fifth Edition | ⑤ | 9 |
| Yuan J[8] | Mar 06 | 223 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Chongqing Public Medical Center | 46.5 ± 16 | Jan 24 to Feb 23 | Trial sixth Edition | ①③ | 9 |
| Fang XW[9] | Feb 25 | 79 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Anhui Provincial Hospital | 45 ± 16.6 | Jan 22 to Feb 18 | Trial sixth Edition | ①② | 6 |
| Wei WX[13] | Mar 18 | 95 | Single | Mild, severe, and critically ill COVID-19 patients in Chengdu Public Health Clinical Medical Center | 45.5 ± 58.6/56.7 ± 39.8/66.3 ± 28.2 | Jan 16 to Feb 18 | Trial fifth Edition | ①③ | 7 |
| Shi YL[14] | Feb 27 | 164 | Single | Mild, severe, and critically ill COVID-19 patients in Guangzhou Eighth Peoples Hospital | NR | Jan to Feb | Trial fifth Edition | ①③ | 8 |
| Liu et al[15] | Feb 28 | 79 | Multi | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in 3 tertiary hospitals in Wuhan | 38 (33,57) | Dec 30 to Jan 15 | Trial fourth Edition | ①②③④ | 7 |
| Deng Y[16] | Mar 20 | 225 | Multi | Survival and non-survival COVID-19 patients in 2 tertiary hospitals in Wuhan | 43 ± 18/68 ± 9 | Jan 1 to Feb 21 | Survival and non-survival | ①② | 8 |
| Zhou F[17] | Mar 11 | 191 | Multi | Survival and nonsurvival COVID-19 patients in Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital and Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital | 56 (46–67) | Dec 2019 to Jan 31, 2020 | WHO interim guideline | ①③⑤ | 8 |
| Chen T[18] | Mar 26 | 274 | Single | Survival and non-survival COVID-19 patients in Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Huazhong University of Science and Technology | 62 (44–70) | Dec 2019 to Feb 28, 2020 | Survival and non-survival | ①②③④⑤ | 7 |
| Wang Y[19] | Apr 8 | 344 | Single | Survival and non-survival COVID-19 patients in Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Huazhong University of Science and Technology | 52–72 | Jan 25 to Feb 25 | WHO interim guideline | ①②③⑤ | 7 |
| Cheng KB[20] | Mar 12 | 463 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital | 15–90 | Dec 2019 to Feb 06, 2020 | Trial fifth Edition | ①②③④ | 7 |
| Wang D[21] | Feb 08 | 138 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University | 56 (42–68) | Jan 1 to Jan 28 | WHO interim guideline | ① | 7 |
| Liu M[22] | Feb 17 | 30 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Jianghan University Affiliated Hospital | 35 ± 8 | Jan 10 to Jan 31 | Trial fifth Edition | ① | 6 |
| Zhong SH[23] | Mar 26 | 62 | Single | Mild, severe, and critically ill COVID-19 patients in Hainan General Hospital | 51.8 ± 13.5 | Jan 21 to Feb 10 | Trial third Edition | ① | 6 |
| Guan W[24] | Feb 06 | 1099 | Multi | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in 552 Hospitals in 31 provinces | 47.0 | NR | WHO interim guideline | ① | 9 |
| Qian GQ[25] | Mar 17 | 88 | Multi | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in 5 hospitals in Zhejiang province | 50 (36.5–57) | Jan 20 to Feb 11 | WHO interim guideline | ①② | 9 |
| LI KH[26] | Feb 15 | 41 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Hubei Province | 49 (41–58) | Dec 2019 to Jan 2, 2020 | Trial fifth Edition | ①②③ | 7 |
| Wan SX[27] | Feb 29 | 83 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University | 45.5 ± 12.3 | Jan to Feb | WHO interim guideline | ①②③ | 8 |
| Gao Y[28] | Mar 21 | 135 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Chongqing Three Gorges Central Hospital | 47 (36–55) | Jan 23 to Feb 8 | WHO interim guideline | ①②③⑤ | 6 |
| Zhang JJ[29] | Mar 17 | 43 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Fuyang Second People's Hospital | 45 ± 7.7/43 ± 14 | Jan 23 to Feb 2 | trail version 3–5 | ①②③⑧ | 7 |
| Chen W[30] | Mar 17 | 91 | Single | Mild, severe, and critically ill COVID-19 patients in Jingmen First People's Hospital | 41.6 ± 15.6 | Dec 2019 to Feb 21, 2020 | Trial seventh Edition | ① | 7 |
| Li D[31] | Mar 26 | 80 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in tertiary hospitals in Zhuzhou | 47.8 ± 19.5 | Jan 20 to Feb 27 | Trial fifth Edition | ①②③④ | 7 |
| Li D[32] | Apr 2 | 62 | Single | Mild, severe, and critically ill COVID-19 patients in Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University | 49 ± 37/59 ± 31 | Jan 31 to Feb 25 | Trial sixth Edition | ①②③ | 6 |
| Xiong J[33] | Mar 03 | 89 | Single | Mild, severe, and critically ill COVID-19 patients in Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University | 53 ± 16.9 | Jan 17 to Feb 20 | Trial sixth Edition | ①②③ | 7 |
| Liu J[34] | Mar 27 | 91 | Single | Mild, severe, and critically ill COVID-19 patients in Wuhan Children's Hospital | NR | Jan 25 to Feb 18 | Trial fifth Edition | ①③ | 6 |
| Gao W[35] | Mar 31 | 90 | Single | Mild, severe, and critically ill COVID-19 patients in Beijing Youan Hospital | 51.7 ± 18.6 | Jan to Feb | Trial sixth Edition | ①②③ | 7 |
| Xie HS[36] | Apr 2 | 79 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital | 60 (48–66) | Feb 2 to Feb 23 | Trial sixth Edition | ①②④ | 7 |
| Zhang YF[37] | Apr 2 | 121 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University | 43.9 ± 15/65 ± 1 | Dec 2019 to Feb 22, 2020 | Trial fifth Edition | ① | 7 |
| Chen L[38] | Feb 6 | 29 | Single | Mild, severe, and critically ill COVID-19 patients in Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Huazhong University of Science and Technology | 26–79 | Jan | Trial fifth Edition | ①⑤⑥⑦ | 6 |
| Peng YD[39] | Mar 2 | 112 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in western district of Union Hospital in Wuhan | 62 (5567) | Jan 20 to Feb 15 | Trial sixth Edition | ①③ | 7 |
| Chen M[40] | Feb 27 | 54 | Single | Mild, severe, and critically ill COVID-19 patients in Hubei No. 3 People's Hospital | 43.8–69 | Jan 24 to Feb 8 | Trial fifth Edition | ①②③④ | 6 |
| Wan Q[41] | Feb 24 | 153 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Chongqing Public Health Medical Center | 43.4 ± 15/57.7 ± 13 | Jan 26 to Feb 5 | Trial fifth Edition | ① | 8 |
| Li D[42] | Mar 5 | 30 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Shenyang sixth people's hospital | 21–72 | Jan 22 to Feb 8 | Trial fifth Edition | ① | 6 |
| Ling Y[43] | Mar 18 | 292 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center | 48.7 ± 16/65.5 ± 16 | Jan 20 to Feb 10 | Trial fifth Edition | ①②③④ | 9 |
| Bin YF[44] | Feb 29 | 55 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Huangpi District Chinese Medicine Hospital of Wuhan | 53.9 ± 17. 1 | Jan 29 to Feb 16 | Trial fifth Edition | ① | 6 |
| Xia XT[45] | Apr 7 | 63 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine | 62.3 ± 15.1/64.6 ± 14.9 | Jan 26 to Feb 20 | Trial fifth Edition | ① | 6 |
| Chen C[46] | Mar 6 | 150 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Huazhong University of Science and Technology | 59 ± 16 | Jan to Feb | Trial sixth Edition | ① | 6 |
| Liu SJ[47] | Apr 2 | 342 | Single | Mild, severe, and critically ill COVID-19 patients in Ezhou Central Hospital | NR | Jan 23 to Feb 12 | Trial sixth Edition | ①②③④ | 7 |
| An W[48] | Apr 16 | 110 | Single | Survival and nonsurvival COVID-19 patients in Hubei No.3 People’ s Hospital of Jianghan University | NR | Jan 24 to Feb 19 | Current trail version | ①③④ | 7 |
| Feng Y[49] | Apr 10 | 476 | Multi | Mild, severe, and critically ill COVID-19 patients from 3 hospitals in Wuhan, Shanghai and Anhui | NR | Jan 1 to Feb 15 | Trial fifth Edition | ①②③④ | 8 |
| Cai QX[50] | Apr 2 | 298 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen | 42.7 ± 18.7/61.5 ± 7.6 | Jan 11 to Feb 6 | WHO interim guideline | ①②③④⑤ | 6 |
| Zheng F[51] | Mar | 161 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Changsha First Hospital | 40.7 ± 15.0/56.5 ± 15.2 | Jan 17 to Feb 7 | Trial fifth Edition | ①② | 7 |
| Tang JS[52] | Apr 13 | 40 | Single | Mild, severe, and critically ill COVID-19 patients in The Ninth People's hospital of DongGuan | NR | Jan to Feb | Trial sixth Edition | ①③⑤ | 8 |
| Zheng YL[53] | Apr 10 | 99 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Chengdu Public Health Clinical Medical Center | 42.5 ± 15.1/63.8 ± 16.5 | Jan 16 to Feb 20 | Trial fifth Edition | ①② | 6 |
| Wang L[54] | Mar 30 | 339 | Single | Survival and non-survival COVID-19 patients in Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University | 68.7 ± 7.5/76.3 ± 9.9 | Jan 1 to Feb 6 | Trial sixth Edition | ①③⑤ | 7 |
| Ruan QR[55] | Apr 6 | 150 | Multi | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital and Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Huazhong University of Science and Technology | 58.3 ± 27.9/54.3 ± 50.0 | NR | Survival and nonsurvival | ①②⑤ | 8 |
| Tu WJ[56] | Apr 6 | 174 | Single | Survival and non-survival COVID-19 patients in Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University | 50.0 ± 18.7/71.3 ± 21.6 | Jan 3 to Feb 24 | Survival and non-survival | ①⑤ | 8 |
| Chen XH[57] | Apr 17 | 48 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in General Hospital of Central Theater Command | 52.8 ± 14.2/63.7 ± 15.2/79.6 ± 12.6 | Jan 1 to Feb 19 | Trial sixth Edition | ①③⑤ | 9 |
| Ma J[58] | Apr 13 | 37 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University | 61.0 ± 4.9/66.5 ± 9.6 | Jan 1 to Mar 30 | Trial seventh Edition | ①⑤ | 7 |
| Wang ZL[59] | Mar 16 | 69 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in western district of Union Hospital in Wuhan | 40.0 ± 14.5/69.8 ± 12.4 | Jan 16 to Jan 29 | Trial third Edition | ①②③④⑤⑥⑦ | 7 |
| Zou QX[60] | Apr 21 | 50 | Single | Mild, severe, and critically ill COVID-19 patients in Sino-French New City Campus of Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Huazhong University of Science and Technology | 62.3 ± 10.6/65.8 ± 11.1/72.4 ± 8.5 | Feb to Mar | Trial sixth Edition | ①⑦ | 6 |
| He XW[61] | Apr 21 | 56 | Single | Survival and non-survival COVID-19 patients in Sino-French New City Campus of Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Huazhong University of Science and Technology | 64.8 ± 12.3/69.7 ± 13.0 | Feb 3 to Feb 24 | Trial seventh Edition | ①④ | 8 |
| Zuo FT[62] | Apr 14 | 50 | Single | Mild and severe COVID-19 patients in Nanyang Central Hospital | 46.6 ± 16.3/53.7 ± 10.1 | Jan 19 to Mar 20 | Trial fifth Edition | ①②③ | 8 |
∗
All studies were retrospective.
†
Reported as range, mean ± SD, or median (interquartile range).
‡
Version of New Coronavirus Pneumonia Prevention and Control Program in China, or WHO interim guideline.
§
NR = not reported. ① WBC = white blood cell count, ② CRP = C-reactive protein, ③ PCT = procalcitonin, ④ ESR = erythrocyte sedimentation rate, ⑤ IL-6 = interleukin-6, ⑥ IL-10 = interleukin-10, ⑦ TNF-α = tumor necrosis factor-α.
||
Score based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale guidelines.[11]