The 2019-nCoV infection was of clustering onset, is more likely to affect older males with comorbidities, and can result in severe and even fatal respiratory diseases such as acute respiratory distress syndrome. In general, characteristics of patients who died were in line with the MuLBSTA score, an early warning model for predicting mortality in viral pneumonia. Further investigation is needed to explore the applicability of the MuLBSTA score in predicting the risk of mortality in 2019-nCoV infection.

Of the 99 patients with 2019-nCoV pneumonia, 49 (49%) had a history of exposure to the Huanan seafood market. The average age of the patients was 55·5 years (SD 13·1), including 67 men and 32 women. 2019-nCoV was detected in all patients by real-time RT-PCR. 50 (51%) patients had chronic diseases. Patients had clinical manifestations of fever (82 [83%] patients), cough (81 [82%] patients), shortness of breath (31 [31%] patients), muscle ache (11 [11%] patients), confusion (nine [9%] patients), headache (eight [8%] patients), sore throat (five [5%] patients), rhinorrhoea (four [4%] patients), chest pain (two [2%] patients), diarrhoea (two [2%] patients), and nausea and vomiting (one [1%] patient). According to imaging examination, 74 (75%) patients showed bilateral pneumonia, 14 (14%) patients showed multiple mottling and ground-glass opacity, and one (1%) patient had pneumothorax. 17 (17%) patients developed acute respiratory distress syndrome and, among them, 11 (11%) patients worsened in a short period of time and died of multiple organ failure.

In this retrospective, single-centre study, we included all confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV in Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital from Jan 1 to Jan 20, 2020. Cases were confirmed by real-time RT-PCR and were analysed for epidemiological, demographic, clinical, and radiological features and laboratory data. Outcomes were followed up until Jan 25, 2020.

In December, 2019, a pneumonia associated with the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) emerged in Wuhan, China. We aimed to further clarify the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 2019-nCoV pneumonia.

At present, information regarding the epidemiology and clinical features of pneumonia caused by 2019-nCoV is scarce.In this study, we did a comprehensive exploration of the epidemiology and clinical features of 99 patients with confirmed 2019-nCoV pneumonia admitted to Jinyintan Hospital, Wuhan, which admitted the first patients with 2019-nCoV to be reported on.

Coronaviruses can cause multiple system infections in various animals and mainly respiratory tract infections in humans, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).Most patients have mild symptoms and good prognosis. So far, a few patients with 2019-nCoV have developed severe pneumonia, pulmonary oedema, ARDS, or multiple organ failure and have died. All costs of 2019-nCoV treatment are covered by medical insurance in China.

Since Dec 8, 2019, several cases of pneumonia of unknown aetiology have been reported in Wuhan, Hubei province, China.Most patients worked at or lived around the local Huanan seafood wholesale market, where live animals were also on sale. In the early stages of this pneumonia, severe acute respiratory infection symptoms occurred, with some patients rapidly developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), acute respiratory failure, and other serious complications. On Jan 7, a novel coronavirus was identified by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from the throat swab sample of a patient, and was subsequently named 2019-nCoV by WHO.

The funder of the study had no role in study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, or writing of the report. The corresponding authors had full access to all the data in the study and had final responsibility for the decision to submit for publication.

We present continuous measurements as mean (SD) if they are normally distributed or median (IQR) if they are not, and categorical variables as count (%). For laboratory results, we also assessed whether the measurements were outside the normal range. We used SPSS (version 26.0) for all analyses.

We describe epidemiological data (ie, short-term [occasional visits] and long-term [worked at or lived near] exposure to Huanan seafood market); demographics; signs and symptoms on admission; comorbidity; laboratory results; co-infection with other respiratory pathogens; chest radiography and CT findings; treatment received for 2019-nCoV; and clinical outcomes.

Sputum or endotracheal aspirates were obtained at admission for identification of possible causative bacteria or fungi. Additionally, all patients were given chest x-rays or chest CT.

Laboratory confirmation of 2019-nCoV was done in four different institutions: the Chinese CDC, the Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, and Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Throat-swab specimens from the upper respiratory tract that were obtained from all patients at admission were maintained in viral-transport medium. 2019-nCoV was confirmed by real-time RT-PCR using the same protocol described previously.RT-PCR detection reagents were provided by the four institutions. Other respiratory viruses including influenza A virus (H1N1, H3N2, H7N9), influenza B virus, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), and MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV) were also examined with real-time RT-PCR

We obtained epidemiological, demographic, clinical, laboratory, management, and outcome data from patients' medical records. Clinical outcomes were followed up to Jan 25, 2020. If data were missing from the records or clarification was needed, we obtained data by direct communication with attending doctors and other health-care providers. All data were checked by two physicians (XD and YQ).

The 2019-nCoV infection was of clustering onset, is more likely to affect older men with comorbidities, and could result in severe and even fatal respiratory diseases such as acute respiratory distress syndrome. Early identification and timely treatment of critical cases of 2019-nCoV are important. Effective life support and active treatment of complications should be provided to effectively reduce the severity of patients' conditions and prevent the spread of this new coronavirus in China and worldwide.

We have obtained data on 99 patients in Wuhan, China, to further explore the epidemiology and clinical features of 2019-nCoV. This study is, to our knowledge, the largest case series to date of 2019-nCoV infections, with 99 patients who were transferred to Jinyintan Hospital from other hospitals all over Wuhan, and provides further information on the demographic, clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory features of patients. It presents the latest status of 2019-nCoV infection in China and is an extended investigation of the previous report, with 58 extra cases and more details on combined bacterial and fungal infections. In all patients admitted with medical comorbidities of 2019-nCoV, a wide range of clinical manifestations can be seen and are associated with substantial outcomes.

We searched PubMed on Jan 25, 2020, for articles that describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan, China, using the search terms “novel coronavirus” and “pneumonia” with no language or time restrictions. Previously published research discussed the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus or Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, and primary study for the evolution of the novel coronavirus from Wuhan. The only report of clinical features of patients infected with 2019-nCoV was published on Jan 24, 2020, with 41 cases included.

For this retrospective, single-centre study, we recruited patients from Jan 1 to Jan 20, 2020, at Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan, China. Jinyintan Hospital is a hospital for adults (ie, aged ≥14 years) specialising in infectious diseases. According to the arrangements put in place by the Chinese Government, adult patients were admitted centrally to the hospital from the whole of Wuhan without selectivity. All patients at Jinyintan Hospital who were diagnosed as having 2019-nCoV pneumonia according to WHO interim guidance were enrolled in this study.All the data of included cases have been shared with WHO. The study was approved by Jinyintan Hospital Ethics Committee and written informed consent was obtained from patients involved before enrolment when data were collected retrospectively.

Results

Table 1 Demographics, baseline characteristics, and clinical outcomes of 99 patients admitted to Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital (Jan 1–20, 2020) with 2019-nCoV pneumonia Patients (n=99) Age, years Mean (SD) 55·5 (13·1) Range 21–82 ≤39 10 (10%) 40–49 22 (22%) 50–59 30 (30%) 60–69 22 (22%) ≥70 15 (15%) Sex Female 32 (32%) Male 67 (68%) Occupation Agricultural worker 2 (2%) Self-employed 63 (64%) Employee 15 (15%) Retired 19 (19%) Exposure to Huanan seafood market * * Long-term exposure is having worked at or lived in or around Huanan seafood market, whereas short-term exposure is having been to Huanan seafood market occasionally. 49 (49%) Long-term exposure history 47 (47%) Short-term exposure history 2 (2%) Chronic medical illness 50 (51%) Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases 40 (40%) Digestive system disease 11 (11%) Endocrine system disease † † 12 were diabetic. 13 (13%) Malignant tumour 1 (1%) Nervous system disease 1 (1%) Respiratory system disease 1 (1%) Admission to intensive care unit 23 (23%) Clinical outcome Remained in hospital 57 (58%) Discharged 31 (31%) Died 11 (11%) Data are n (%) unless specified otherwise. 2019-nCoV=2019 novel coronavirus. 99 patients with 2019-nCoV were included in this study, two of whom were husband and wife. In total, 49 (49%) patients were clustered and had a history of exposure to the Huanan seafood market. Among them, there were 47 patients with long-term exposure history, most of whom were salesmen or market managers, and two patients with short-term exposure history, who were shoppers. None of the patients were medical staff. Most patients were men, with a mean age of 55·5 years (SD 13·1; table 1 ). 50 (51%) patients had chronic diseases, including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, endocrine system disease, digestive system disease, respiratory system disease, malignant tumour, and nervous system disease ( table 1 ).

Table 2 Clinical characteristics and treatment of patients with 2019-nCoV pneumonia Patients (n=99) Signs and symptoms at admission Fever 82 (83%) Cough 81 (82%) Shortness of breath 31 (31%) Muscle ache 11 (11%) Confusion 9 (9%) Headache 8 (8%) Sore throat 5 (5%) Rhinorrhoea 4 (4%) Chest pain 2 (2%) Diarrhoea 2 (2%) Nausea and vomiting 1 (1%) More than one sign or symptom 89 (90%) Fever, cough, and shortness of breath 15 (15%) Comorbid conditions Any 33 (33%) ARDS 17 (17%) Acute renal injury 3 (3%) Acute respiratory injury 8 (8%) Septic shock 4 (4%) Ventilator-associated pneumonia 1 (1%) Chest x-ray and CT findings Unilateral pneumonia 25 (25%) Bilateral pneumonia 74 (75%) Multiple mottling and ground-glass opacity 14 (14%) Treatment Oxygen therapy 75 (76%) Mechanical ventilation Non-invasive (ie, face mask) 13 (13%) Invasive 4 (4%) CRRT 9 (9%) ECMO 3 (3%) Antibiotic treatment 70 (71%) Antifungal treatment 15 (15%) Antiviral treatment 75 (76%) Glucocorticoids 19 (19%) Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy 27 (27%) 2019-nCoV=2019 novel coronavirus. ARDS=acute respiratory distress syndrome. ECMO=extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. CRRT=continuous renal replacement therapy. On admission, most patients had fever or cough and a third of patients had shortness of breath ( table 2 ). Other symptoms included muscle ache, headache, confusion, chest pain, and diarrhoea ( table 2 ). Many patients presented with organ function damage, including 17 (17%) with ARDS, eight (8%) with acute respiratory injury, three (3%) with acute renal injury, four (4%) with septic shock, and one (1%) with ventilator-associated pneumonia ( table 2 ).

Table 3 Laboratory results of patients with 2019-nCoV pneumonia Patients (n=99) Blood routine Leucocytes (× 109 per L; normal range 3·5–9·5) 7·5 (3·6) Increased 24 (24%) Decreased 9 (9%) Neutrophils (× 109 per L; normal range 1·8–6·3) 5·0 (3·3–8·1) Increased 38 (38%) Lymphocytes (× 109 per L; normal range 1·1–3·2) 0·9 (0·5) Decreased 35 (35%) Platelets (× 109 per L; normal range 125·0–350·0) 213·5 (79·1) Increased 4 (4%) Decreased 12 (12%) Haemoglobin (g/L; normal range 130·0–175·0) 129·8 (14·8) Decreased 50 (51%) Coagulation function Activated partial thromboplastin time (s; normal range 21·0–37·0) 27·3 (10·2) Increased 6 (6%) Decreased 16 (16%) Prothrombin time (s; normal range 10·5–13·5) 11·3 (1·9) Increased 5 (5%) Decreased 30 (30%) D-dimer (μg/L; normal range 0·0–1·5) 0·9 (0·5–2·8) Increased 36 (36%) Blood biochemistry Albumin (g/L; normal range 40·0–55·0) 31·6 (4·0) Decreased 97 (98%) Alanine aminotransferase (U/L; normal range 9·0–50·0) 39·0 (22·0–53·0) Increased 28 (28%) Aspartate aminotransferase (U/L; normal range 15·0–40·0) 34·0 (26·0–48·0) Increased 35 (35%) Total bilirubin (μmol/L; normal range 0·0–21·0) 15·1 (7·3) Increased 18 (18%) Blood urea nitrogen (mmol/L; normal range 3·6–9·5) 5·9 (2·6) Increased 6 (6%) Decreased 17 (17%) Serum creatinine (μmol/L; normal range 57·0–111·0) 75·6 (25·0) Increased 3 (3%) Decreased 21 (21%) Creatine kinase (U/L; normal range 50·0–310·0) 85·0 (51·0–184·0) Increased 13 (13%) Decreased 23 (23%) Lactate dehydrogenase (U/L; normal range 120·0–250·0) 336·0 (260·0–447·0) Increased 75 (76%) Myoglobin (ng/mL; normal range 0·0–146·9) 49·5 (32·2–99·8) Increased 15 (15%) Glucose (mmol/L; normal range 3·9–6·1) 7·4 (3·4) Increased 51 (52%) Decreased 1 (1%) Infection-related biomarkers Procalcitonin (ng/mL; normal range 0·0–5·0) 0·5 (1·1) Increased 6 (6%) Interleukin-6 (pg/mL; normal range 0·0–7·0) 7·9 (6·1–10·6) Increased 51 (52%) Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (mm/h; normal range 0·0–15·0) 49·9 (23·4) Increased 84 (85%) Serum ferritin (ng/mL; normal range 21·0–274·7) 808·7 (490·7) Increased 62 (63%) C-reactive protein (mg/L; normal range 0·0–5·0) * * Data available for 73 patients. 51·4 (41·8) Increased 63/73 (86%) Co-infection Other viruses 0 Bacteria 1 (1%) Fungus 4 (4%) Data are n (%), n/N (%), mean (SD), and median (IQR). Increased means over the upper limit of the normal range and decreased means below the lower limit of the normal range. 2019-nCoV=2019 novel coronavirus. On admission, leucocytes were below the normal range in nine (9%) patients and above the normal range in 24 (24%) patients ( table 3 ). 38 (38%) patients had neutrophils above the normal range. Lymphocytes and haemoglobin were below the normal range in many patients ( table 3 ). Platelets were below the normal range in 12 (12%) patients and above the normal range in four (4%). 43 patients had differing degrees of liver function abnormality, with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) above the normal range ( table 3 ); one patient had severe liver function damage (ALT 7590 U/L, AST 1445 U/L). Most patients had abnormal myocardial zymogram, which showed the elevation of creatine kinase in 13 (13%) patients and the elevation of lactate dehydrogenase in 75 (76%) patients, one of whom also showed abnormal creatine kinase (6280 U/L) and lactate dehydrogenase (20 740 U/L). Seven (7%) patients had different degrees of renal function damage, with elevated blood urea nitrogen or serum creatinine. Regarding the infection index, procalcitonin was above the normal range in six (6%) patients. Most patients had serum ferritin above the normal range ( table 3 ). 73 patients were tested for C-reactive protein, most of whom had levels above the normal range ( table 3 ).

All patients were tested for nine respiratory pathogens and the nucleic acid of influenza viruses A and B. Bacteria and fungi culture were done at the same time. We did not find other respiratory viruses in any of the patients. Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Aspergillus flavus were all cultured in one patient. A baumannii turned out to be highly resistant to antibiotics. One case of fungal infection was diagnosed as Candida glabrata and three cases of fungal infection were diagnosed as Candida albicans.

Figure Chest x-rays and chest CTs of three patients Show full caption Case 1: chest x-ray was obtained on Jan 1 (1A). The brightness of both lungs was diffusely decreased, showing a large area of patchy shadow with uneven density. Tracheal intubation was seen in the trachea and the heart shadow outline was not clear. The catheter shadow was seen from the right axilla to the mediastinum. Bilateral diaphragmatic surface and costal diaphragmatic angle were not clear, and chest x-ray on Jan 2 showed worse status (1B). Case 2: chest x-ray obtained on Jan 6 (2A). The brightness of both lungs was decreased and multiple patchy shadows were observed; edges were blurred, and large ground-glass opacity and condensation shadows were mainly on the lower right lobe. Tracheal intubation could be seen in the trachea. Heart shadow roughly presents in the normal range. On the left side, the diaphragmatic surface is not clearly displayed. The right side of the diaphragmatic surface was light and smooth and rib phrenic angle was less sharp. Chest x-ray on Jan 10 showed worse status (2B). Case 3: chest CT obtained on Jan 1 (3A) showed mass shadows of high density in both lungs. Bright bronchogram is seen in the lung tissue area of the lesion, which is also called bronchoinflation sign. Chest CT on Jan 15 showed improved status (3B). According to chest x-ray and CT, 74 (75%) patients showed bilateral pneumonia (75%) with just 25 (25%) patients showing unilateral pneumonia ( table 2 ). 14 (14%) patients showed multiple mottling and ground-glass opacity ( table 2 figure ). Additionally, pneumothorax occurred in one (1%) patient.

All patients were treated in isolation. 75 (76%) patients received antiviral treatment, including oseltamivir (75 mg every 12 h, orally), ganciclovir (0·25 g every 12 h, intravenously), and lopinavir and ritonavir tablets (500 mg twice daily, orally). The duration of antiviral treatment was 3–14 days (median 3 days [IQR 3–6]).

Most patients were given antibiotic treatment ( table 2 ); 25 (25%) patients were treated with a single antibiotic and 45 (45%) patients were given combination therapy. The antibiotics used generally covered common pathogens and some atypical pathogens; when secondary bacterial infection occurred, medication was administered according to the results of bacterial culture and drug sensitivity. The antibiotics used were cephalosporins, quinolones, carbapenems, tigecycline against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, linezolid, and antifungal drugs. The duration of antibiotic treatment was 3–17 days (median 5 days [IQR 3–7]). 19 (19%) patients were also treated with methylprednisolone sodium succinate, methylprednisolone, and dexamethasone for 3–15 days (median 5 [3–7]).

2 O. All four patients were still using ventilators at data cutoff. Moreover, nine (9%) patients received continuous blood purification due to renal failure and three (3%) patients were treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO; 13 patients used non-invasive ventilator mechanical ventilation for 4–22 days (median 9 days [IQR 7–19]). Four patients used an invasive ventilator to assist ventilation for 3–20 days (median 17 [12–19]). The ventilator adopted P-SIMV mode, the inhaled oxygen concentration was 35–100%, and the positive end-expiratory pressure was 6–12 cm HO. All four patients were still using ventilators at data cutoff. Moreover, nine (9%) patients received continuous blood purification due to renal failure and three (3%) patients were treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO; table 2 ).

8 Guo L

Wei D

Zhang X

et al. Clinical features predicting mortality risk in patients with viral pneumonia: the MuLBSTA score. By the end of Jan 25, 31 (31%) patients had been discharged and 11 (11%) patients had died; all other patients were still in hospital ( table 1 ). The first two deaths were a 61-year-old man (patient 1) and a 69-year-old man (patient 2). They had no previous chronic underlying disease but had a long history of smoking. Patient 1 was transferred to Jinyintan Hospital and diagnosed with severe pneumonia and ARDS. He was immediately admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and given an intubated ventilator-assisted breathing therapy. Later, the patient, having developed severe respiratory failure, heart failure, and sepsis, experienced a sudden cardiac arrest on the 11th day of admission and was declared dead. Patient 2 had severe pneumonia and ARDS after admission. The patient was transferred to the ICU and given ventilator-assisted breathing, and received anti-infection and ECMO treatment after admission. The patient's hypoxaemia remained unresolved. On the ninth day of admission, the patient died of severe pneumonia, septic shock, and respiratory failure. The intervals between the onset of symptoms and the use of ventilator-assisted breathing in the two patients were 3 days and 10 days, respectively. The course of the disease and lung lesions progressed rapidly in both patients, with both developing multiple organ failure in a short time. The deaths of these two patients were consistent with the MuLBSTA score, an early warning model for predicting mortality in viral pneumonia.

Of the remaining nine patients who died, eight patients had lymphopenia, seven had bilateral pneumonia, five were older than 60 years, three had hypertension, and one was a heavy smoker.