Retrospective Cohort Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2021.
World J Clin Cases. May 26, 2021; 9(15): 3546-3558
Published online May 26, 2021. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i15.3546
Table 1 Demographics and baseline characteristics of patients with severe coronavirus disease-19
Variables
Total (n = 75)
Corticosteroid group (n = 47)
Non-corticosteroid group (n = 28)
P value
Demographic factors
Male (%)39 (52.00)25 (53.19)14 (50.00)0.789
Age (%)58.92 ± 14.2957.09 ± 13.7462.00 ± 14.900.151
Smoking (%)9 (12.00)8 (17.02)1 (3.57)0.083
APACHE II7.97 ± 3.378.24 ± 3.577.52 ± 3.020.382
Comorbidity
Hypertension (%)13 (17.33)7 (14.89)6 (21.43)0.470
Diabetes (%)19 (25.33)13 (27.66)6 (21.43)0.548
CHD (%)4 (5.33)2 (4.26)2 (7.14)0.590
COPD (%)7 (9.33)3 (6.38)4 (14.28)0.437
Cerebrovascular disease (%)1 (1.33)1 (2.13)01.000
Viral hepatitis (%)1 (1.33)1 (2.13)01.000
Tumor (%)2 (2.67)1 (2.13)1 (3.57)0.707
CKD (%)1 (1.33)1 (2.13)01.000
Symptoms
Fever (%)46 (61.33)31 (65.96)15 (53.57)0.287
Cough (%)57 (76.00)37 (78.72)20 (71.43)0.474
Sputum (%)26 (34.67)15 (31.91)11 (39.29)0.516
Dyspnea (%)40 (53.33)30 (63.83)10 (35.71)0.018
Weakness (%)22 (29.33)12 (25.53)10 (35.71)0.349
Headache (%)8 (10.67)4 (8.51)4 (14.28)0.433
Diarrhea (%)6 (8.00)3 (6.38)3 (10.71)0.819
Complication
Shock (%)3 (4.00)3 (6.38)00.450
Leukopenia (%)4 (5.33)3 (6.38)1 (3.57)0.600
Thrombocytopenia (%)2 (2.67)2 (4.26)00.715
Liver dysfunction (%)3 (4.00)2 (4.26)1 (3.57)0.884
AKI (%)2 (2.67)1 (2.13)1 (3.57)0.707
Cardiac injury (%)2 (2.67)2 (4.26)00.715
Table 2 Treatments and outcomes in patients with severe coronavirus disease-19
Variables
Total (n = 75)
Corticosteroid group (n = 47)
Non-corticosteroid group (n = 28)
P value
Treatments
Antibiotics (%)62 (82.67)45 (95.74)17 (60.71)< 0.001
Antifungal (%)12 (16.00)12 (25.53)00.004
IV immunoglobulin (%)30 (42.76)27 (57.45)3 (10.71)< 0.001
Thymopentin or thymalfasin (%)63 (84.00)43 (91.49)20 (71.43)0.022
High-flow oxygen (%)40 (53.33)28 (59.57)12 (42.86)0.160
Noninvasive ventilator (%)28 (37.33)24 (51.06)4 (14.28)0.001
Invasive ventilator (%)7 (9.33)7 (14.89)00.032
ECMO (%)3 (4.00)3 (6.38)00.450
Outcomes
Total length of hospital stay21.05 ± 8.9621.21 ± 9.5720.79 ± 7.980.843
Length of ICU stay14.64 ± 6.6715.23 ± 6.7213.64 ± 6.580.321
High-flow oxygen days5.58 ± 4.195.32 ± 3.586.17 ± 5.490.565
Noninvasive ventilator days6.69 ± 5.377.54 ± 5.462.60 ± 2.300.060
Invasive ventilator days9.00 ± 6.149.00 ± 6.14--
Mortality rate (%)4 (5.33)4 (8.51)00.291
Table 3 Comparison of laboratory variables at different follow-up points in patients with severe coronavirus disease-19
VariablesCorticosteroid group
Non-corticosteroid group
D 0D 14D 0D 14
Heart rate (bpm)84 ± 1680 ± 1688 ± 1574 ± 6b
Respiratory rate 24 ± 1220 ± 220 ± 220 ± 2
MAP (mmHg)90 ± 1087 ± 1191 ± 1282 ± 21b
Body temperature (℃)37.4 ± 1.036.8 ± 0.5b37.3 ± 0.836.5 ± 0.3b
APACHE II 8.24 ± 3.576.72 ± 4.87b7.52 ± 3.026.08 ± 3.39b
P/F ratio (mmHg)196.68 ± 105.70 297.47 ± 135.68b239.00 ± 107.76 308.20 ± 102.54b
WBC (× 109/L)6.06 ± 3.176.87 ± 2.706.24 ± 2.726.36 ± 1.68
N (× 109/L)4.91 ± 3.115.46 ± 2.674.75 ± 2.574.11 ± 1.11
L (× 109/L)0.79 ± 0.34a0.84 ± 0.54a1.02 ± 0.391.13 ± 0.31
PCT (ng/mL)0.14 ± 0.130.12 ± 0.110.07 ± 0.050.05 ± 0.04b
ALT (U/L)53.86 ± 45.6956.18 ± 52.3627.06 ± 14.5038.42 ± 26.58b
AST (U/L)52.39 ± 44.3360.15 ± 49.7731.78 ± 10.39 29.49 ± 17.07
LDH (U/L)365.63 ± 169.73-321.50 ± 85.82-
Albumin (g/L)36.27 ± 4.2534.12 ± 3.2837.49 ± 3.9333.21 ± 3.64b
TB (μmol/L)18.22 ± 6.59-14.43 ± 6.96-
CRP (mg/L)83.19 ± 63.09 27.15 ± 20.05b70.92 ± 61.7318.64 ± 11.09b
D-dimer (mg/L)1.86 ± 1.424.03 ± 5.64b0.58 ± 0.471.01 ± 0.89
IL 10 (pg/mL)4.51 ± 2.376.99 ± 6.35b4.68 ± 1.373.47 ± 0.78b
IL 6 (pg/mL)43.35 ± 34.1940.16 ± 28.6133.03 ± 23.6931.86 ± 27.13
CD 4+ T (cells/μL)253.20 ± 144.84374.76 ± 195.80b298.31 ± 164.52430.20 ± 161.40b
CD 8+ T (cells/μL)157.55 ± 103.76a285.95 ± 248.60b220.55 ± 110.87275.29 ± 108.06b
CD 4/CD 8 Ratio1.70 ± 0.841.91 ± 1.39b1.51 ± 0.631.68 ± 0.61
PT (s)11.70 ± 1.3011.41 ± 1.7612.03 ± 2.1611.42 ± 0.74
Cr (μmol/L)64.51 ± 17.1366.99 ± 24.8068.94 ± 30.9973.91 ± 50.68
Table 4 Results of imaging evaluation in patients with coronavirus disease-19
VariablesCorticosteroid group
Non-corticosteroid group
D 0
D 14
D 0
D 14
Total lesion volume ratio (%)22.14 ± 12.62a11.21 ± 8.17b12.80 ± 8.3212.05 ± 9.44
Consolidation volume ratio (%)4.59 ± 4.46a2.77 ± 3.99b1.68 ± 1.47 2.81 ± 2.87b
GGO volume ratio (%)17.26 ± 12.35a8.31 ± 5.73b11.30 ± 7.859.15 ± 7.63