Background: There are no clear expert consensus or guidelines on how to treat 2019 coronavirus disease . The objective of this study is to investigate the short-term effect of risk-adapted treatment strategy on patients with COVID-19. Methods: We collected the medical records of 55 COVID-19 patients for analysis. We divided these patients into mild, moderate and severe groups, and risk-adapted treatment approaches were given according to the illness severity. Results: Twelve patients were in mild group and 22 were in moderate group (non-severe group, n = 34), and 21 patients were in severe group. At the end of the first two weeks after admission, clinical manifestations had completely despeared in 31(91.2%)patients in non-severe group, and 18(85.7%) patients in severe group (p = 0.85). Both groups had a satisfied chest CT imaging recovery, which includes 22(64.7%) patients in non-severe group and 12(57.1%) patients in severe group recovered at least 50% of the whole leisions in the first week, and 28(82.4%) and 16(76.2%) recovered at least 75% in the second week, respectively. There were no significant differences in SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid negativity (p = 0.92). There were also no significant differences in the levels of SARS-CoV-2-IgM and IgG antibody production between the two groups (p = 0.13, 0.62). There were 45 cases were discharged from the hospital, and no patients died at the time of this clinical analysis. Conclusions: Risk-adapted treatment strategy was associated with significant clinical manifestations alleviation and clinical imaging recovery. In severe COVID-19 patients, early and short-term use of lowdose methylprednisolone was beneficial and did not delay SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid clearance and influence IgG antibody production.

Tocilizumab has been reported to attenuate the “cytokine storm” in COVID-19 patients. We attempted to verify the effectiveness and safety of tocilizumab therapy in COVID-19 and identify patients most likely to benefit from this treatment. We conducted a randomized, controlled, open-label multicenter trial among COVID-19 patients. The patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either tocilizumab in addition to standard care or standard care alone. The cure rate, changes of oxygen saturation and interference, and inflammation biomarkers were observed. Thirty-three patients were randomized to the tocilizumab group, and 32 patients to the control group. The cure rate in the tocilizumab group was higher than that in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant (94.12% vs. 87.10%, rate difference 95% CI–7.19%–21.23%, P = 0.4133). The improvement in hypoxia for the tocilizumab group was higher from day 4 onward and statistically significant from day 12 ( P = 0.0359). In moderate disease patients with bilateral pulmonary lesions, the hypoxia ameliorated earlier after tocilizumab treatment, and less patients (1/12, 8.33%) needed an increase of inhaled oxygen concentration compared with the controls (4/6, 66.67%; rate difference 95% CI–99.17% to–17.50%, P = 0.0217). No severe adverse events occurred. More mild temporary adverse events were recorded in tocilizumab recipients (20/34, 58.82%) than the controls (4/31, 12.90%). Tocilizumab can improve hypoxia without unacceptable side effect profile and significant influences on the time virus load becomes negative. For patients with bilateral pulmonary lesions and elevated IL-6 levels, tocilizumab could be recommended to improve outcome. Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at 10.1007/s11684-020-0824-3 and is accessible for authorized users.

Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is spreading worldwide. Measuring the prevention and control of the disease has become a matter requiring urgent focus. Objective Based on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) clinical data from Wuhan, we conducted an in-depth analysis to clarify some of the pathological mechanisms of the disease and identify simple measures to predict its severity early on. Methods A total of 230 patients with non-mild COVID-19 were recruited, and information on their clinical characteristics, inflammatory cytokines, and T lymphocyte subsets was collected. Risk factors for severity were analyzed by binary logistic regression, and the associations of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios (N/LRs) with illness severity, disease course, CT grading, inflammatory cytokines, and T lymphocyte subsets were evaluated. Results Our results showed that the N/LRs were closely related to interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 ( P < 0.001, P = 0.024) and to CD3 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes ( P < 0.001, P = 0.046). In particular, the N/LRs were positively correlated with the severity and course of the disease ( P = 0.021, P < 0.001). Compared to the values at the first test after admission, IL-6 and IL-10 were significantly decreased and increased, respectively, as of the last test before discharge ( P = 0.006, P < 0.001). More importantly, through binary logistic regression, we found that male sex, underlying diseases (such as cardiovascular disease), pulse, and N/LRs were all closely related to the severity of the disease ( P = 0.004, P = 0.012, P = 0.013, P = 0.028). Conclusions As a quick and convenient marker of inflammation, N/LRs may predict the disease course and severity level of non-mild COVID-19; male sex, cardiovascular disease, and pulse are also risk factors for the severity of non-mild COVID-19.

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